New Challenges Volume 4: Trouble With a Capital A
by Kaiphantom
Summary: As Akane and Ranma begin to feel out their new relationship, a pair of old rivals returns; but as friends or enemies? Returning characters, a new fiancee, and plenty of martial arts action!
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to story arc #4!  
  
As always, send C&C to: oddball22@hotmail.com  
  
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Trouble.  
  
We all get into it, and it comes in many forms, that's not unusual. What  
defines us, is how we get out of it.  
  
Most people would rather avoid trouble, so they could possibly live an  
easier, stress-free life. But for those of us more enlightened, we know  
that conflict is an integral part of human life.  
  
For only by facing what troubles us head on, will our character, that  
which defines us, grow and learn.  
  
Ranma, Akane, and their friends have faced many troubles in the past,  
and will continue to do so in the future; both known and unknown.  
  
But for now, their troubles fall in the former category...  
  
  
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Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
  
  
Four people walked along the street to school, two in front and  
two in back, a dozen or so meters seperating them. The two in front  
talked business while the two in back walked hand-in-hand.  
  
"How're you feeling?" Akane asked.  
  
Ranma yawned. "Still a bit tired. I have enough trouble stayin'  
awake in class as it is. Man, I've never used that much energy all at  
once."  
  
Akane squeezed his hand. "You were pretty great."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Just `pretty great'? I thought I was a  
lot better than that." He looked down at her, his face coloring  
slightly. "Still, I couldn't have done it with you. You were pretty  
impressive back there, too."  
  
Akane beamed with pride. "You think so?"  
  
He nodded. "Uh, yeah. You didn't klutz up once." She swatted  
the back of his head before returning her hand to his. "Seriously, I  
think we made a pretty good fightin' team." He took a deep breath, his  
tone changing. "During this upcoming training trip, I ain't gonna be  
easy on ya. I want ta at least get you fast enough ta teach you the  
Amaguriken. Think ya can handle it?"  
  
She nodded feriously. "Definitely. I can take whatever you dish  
out."  
  
From up front, Nabiki turned around. "We're going ahead to  
school. See you two later."  
  
"Hey sis, will Ucchan, Kenji-kun, or Yuri-chan be coming in  
today?"  
  
"Nope, they got the day off to recover," Nabiki replied. "See  
ya!"  
  
The upperclassmen and upperclaswoman took off down the street  
at a faster pace. Kuno turned his head to see the couple walking slowly,  
hand-in-hand. "Truly, they really do... care for each other," he said  
softly.  
  
Nabiki sighed noisily. "Come on, Kuno-baby. You can walk me to  
class."  
  
Kuno smiled back at her. "T'would be my fondest pleasure,  
Nabiki-kun."  
  
He held out his arm and she took it, still trying to assimilate  
the fact that he no longer just called her `Tendo Nabiki'. [Hope he's  
not falling for me. I'm a high maintenance business woman.]  
  
She shook her head, her thoughts turning to the day's business.  
  
  
  
  
  
Walking slowly together, neither one noticed the bucket of  
water dump on Ranma from above. It was just enough water to get his head  
wet and to change him. Predictably, he shrunk and his hair turned red.  
He was now a she.  
  
"Who did that?" she said in her higher voice, scanning for the  
`attacker'.  
  
"Ah, so it is true," came a guy's voice. The couple looked up to  
see a short, old guy wearing robes and a straw hat standing on a fence.  
  
"Who are you?" Akane asked.  
  
"You can ask my students, the Soyokaze siblings about me," he  
replied.  
  
"Why'd you dump water on me!?" onna-Ranma demanded.  
  
"I heard a rumor you were touched by Jusenkyo," he said simply.  
"I wanted to see if was true."  
  
"I could've told you I was cursed to turn into a girl," she  
grumbled.  
  
"You think of it as a curse?" he asked. "Interesting."  
  
"Nani?" Akane asked. "What does that mean?"  
  
"You change into a woman," he said simply. "Have you ever given  
any thought as to why that is?"  
  
"Because my stupid old man knocked me into pool at Jusenkyo,"  
Ranma said, becoming annoyed at this line of questioning.  
  
"Your name is Saotome Ranma, correct?"  
  
"Yeah, so what?"  
  
The old guy stroked his beard. "Hmmm, this could be very  
interesting."  
  
Akane blinked. "Excuse me? What do you mean `interesting'? And  
just who are you?"  
  
He ignored her. "I can say no more right now. Do not worry  
about it, as it's still far off. You will be ready when the time comes."  
He paused. "I will say, however, that the only `curse' you should be  
concered with is the one your family is under. If you want to know more,  
I suggest you ask your father. That's all I can say for now, but we will  
talk again. Farewell!" He dropped behind the wall and was gone.  
  
Ranma leapt to the top of the wall, but couldn't see him. "He's  
gone." She jumped back down next to her fiancee.  
  
"That was weird," Akane commented. "Any idea what your family  
curse is?"  
  
Ranma shook her head. "None. But you can bet I'm talkin' to pop  
tonight. Things have been gettin' wierder than normal lately."  
  
"Well, we'll worry about later. Right now, we should get to  
class." The school was in sight now, and Kuno was waiting by the gate,  
along with several students, gathered to watch the morning festivities.  
"You don't think he's going to fight you this morning, do you?"  
  
"I don't know. Actually, he wouldn't be fighting me, but  
glomping me, seeing as I'm a girl right now." He shrugged. "Let's find  
out."  
  
They entered the school gates and Kuno nodded his head slightly  
toward the couple. "Greetings Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane." He seemed  
to pause, then Nabiki kicked his leg. After giving her a short glare, he  
turned back to Ranma and Akane. "I wish to offer my sincerest thanks for  
your assistance last night, and my apologies for my behavior over the  
past year and a half."  
  
To say that Ranma and Akane were stunned would be an  
understatement. In fact, the entire school, with the exception of Kuno  
and Nabiki, were stunned. There were various murmers going back and  
forth, Furinken's notorious rumor mill springing into action.  
  
Most people couldn't believe Kuno had finally figured out  
Ranma's curse. The rest thought it was about time. All were surprised  
that he seemed to be giving up his quest for his two loves, seeing how  
he didn't quote any poetry or give any flowers to either of the two  
girls standing at the gate.  
  
Ranma recovered first. "Ah, sure Kuno. No problem. I, uh, guess  
I accept your apology."  
  
"The same goes for me, Kuno-sempai," Akane added. "Though this  
better mean that you will never pursue me again."  
  
Kuno nodded his head slightly, looking somewhat uncomfortable.  
"I have realized that we were not meant to be. For now, I must bid you  
adieu. I must escort a certain young woman to class." He turned, even as  
Nabiki took his arm, and the two entered the school.  
  
Akane gasped. "Nabiki!?"  
  
"You're kiddin' me," Ranma said, scratching her head. "I always  
thought they hated each other."  
  
"Yeah, they may have seemed to detest each other, but they have  
spent quite a bit of time together." Akane turned to him and smiled  
slightly. "Sounds like another couple I know..."  
  
Ranma smiled nervously. "Heh, I guess you're right. But I can't  
say what scares me more. The fact that Kuno is acting somwhat normal, or  
that your sister may actually be interested in him." She glanced down at  
her enlarged chest. "Right now, I only care about getting some hot  
water."  
  
Akane could only nod.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The campus was abuzz with rumors of that morning, though Ranma  
ignored them all as he headed to lunch. His only concern was talking  
with Nabiki over something he wanted to do, and he at least wanted her  
advice. He'd take her help if he could afford it. He'd already told  
Akane there was someone he needed to talk to, so she should go ahead and  
have lunch with her friends. She did eye him suspiciously, but let him  
go without further questions.  
  
He spotted Nabiki talking with several of her school business  
associates and waved her over. He then took a few deep breaths to try to  
calm himself for what he needed to say.  
  
"What can I do for you, Ranma-chan," she said sweetly.  
  
The `chan' honorific caught him slighty off guard and he  
blinked at her. "Uh, yeah, right." [Soul of ice. Gotta do this.] "Well,  
I suppose I, uh, could use your advise, and maybe your help... if I can  
afford it. But I don't have a whole lot of money."  
  
"This is about Akane isn't it?" He nodded, hesitantly. "First,  
let me ask you a question. Do you plan on marrying my sister?"  
  
Did he? He had done a lot of thinking about it. The idea used  
to scare him to death. Now, after almost losing her to Saffron and  
Krynn, it only just scared him. But he knew he loved her, he knew he  
couldn't live without her, so maybe marriage to her wasn't such a bad  
thing after all.  
  
Still, he glanced around to see if anybody was in earshot.  
Seeing nobody, he replied in a very low voice. "Yes."  
  
Nabiki smiled. [It's about time. Okay Akane, here's where I  
really honor my promise to help you get this low-class ruffian.] That  
thing that most people called a conscience, but that Nabiki considered  
an annoyance, twinged again.  
  
"Okay, then my original wedding gift still stands," she told  
him. "I consider your debt erased. That being said, you did a great  
service last night by helping to kill that thing. Because of that, I'm  
in a postion to make a whole lot more money, so you are entitled to a  
small share." Ranma thought he heard some emphasis on the word `small.'  
"Plus, you'll be running the dojo someday, so anything extra you may owe  
me, you can pay me back then."  
  
Ranma blinked his eyes. Then he grabbed Nabiki's shoulders.  
"Alright, who are you and what have you done with Nabiki?"  
  
She chuckled lightly. "Calm down, Saotome. You're going to be  
my brother-in-law whether I like it or not, and when it comes between  
money and family, family wins hands down."  
  
Ranma nodded slowly. "Okay..." He took a deep breath and  
decided to forge ahead. "Well, I kinda wanna get Akane something."  
[Something she seemed really happy to get awhile ago, even though it  
didn't turn out to be what either of us thought. Mom also thought it was  
a good idea.]  
  
"And what would that be?"  
  
Ranma fiddled his fingers. "Iwannagetheraring."  
  
Nabiki blinked while her mind translated. "You want to get her  
an engagement ring?" Ranma nodded, and Nabiki swore he looked like a  
caged animal that was getting ready to bolt at the slightest noise. She  
smiled. "No problem. I think you've got enough for that. On one  
condition, though."  
  
Ranma grew nervous and was hesitant to ask. "What's that?"  
  
"Simple. I go with you to help pick it out. After all, I know  
what she likes."  
  
Ranma relaxed. "Thanks, Nabiki!" He then got a mischievous look  
it his eye, and before Nabiki knew it, he threw his arms around her and  
hugged her. "Or should I say oneechan?"  
  
She pushed him away. "You can call me that after you've married  
my little sis, okay?" He smiled and nodded. "Now get out of here and go  
see your fiancee. We'll go either today after school or tomorrow. And  
don't worry about anybody finding out, I'll keep it a secret."  
  
She pushed Ranma off and went back to her friends. [You're  
growing up, Ranma. It's about time.] She smiled slightly. [And so am I,  
I guess.]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He joined Akane under the tree with a couple of her friends and  
began to eat his lunch.  
  
"Who'd you go see?" she asked  
  
"Your sister," he replied. "Had some money matters to discuss  
with her."  
  
He didn't volunteer any more information, and she thought it  
best not to ask. Besides, she had to learn to trust him.  
  
"So, what's the deal with you two?" Sayuri asked. "You haven't  
fought for a long time."  
  
"Yeah, is there something going on we should know about, Ranma-  
kun?" another Yuka asked. "Something's definitely changed between you  
two."  
  
He shrugged. "Why don't you ask Akane?"  
  
"We're trying, but she's not saying much," Sayuri responded,  
then seemed to get quite excited. "Are you really a couple now?"  
  
"Could be."  
  
"Oh, come on!" Yuka pleaded. "Are you or aren't you!?"  
  
Akane sighed and broke down. She knew that their friends would  
find out sooner or later, so it looked like their time was up. "Okay,  
okay. We're trying to have a real relationship. Happy?"  
  
The two girls looked back and forth between the couple, big  
smiles on their faces. "Really!?"  
  
"Does this answer your question?" Akane replied, reaching down  
to grab Ranma's hand and twine her fingers with his.  
  
When Ranma didn't deny anything or pull his hand away, Akane's  
two friends began to bombard both of them with questions. While he  
would've rather his new relationship with Akane remain secret, he  
guessed he didn't mind people knowing about it. What he did mind, was  
being the subject of a spotlight interrogation.  
  
Finishing his lunch, he quickly made his escape.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When school let out, Ranma and Akane headed back to the dojo  
and dropped their bookbags off, then annouced they would be heading over  
to the Saotome house for dinner. After making a quick call and clearing  
it with Ranma's mother, they were off.  
  
Nodoka greeted them at the door. "Ranma, my son! It's so good  
to have you visit." She hugged him tightly.  
  
"Aw, momma," he sputtered, embarassed.  
  
"Hello, Saotome-obasama!" Akane hugged her future mother-in-law.  
  
"Why hello, Akane-chan! It's so good to see you two together and  
getting along so well." They removed their shoes at the door and walked  
inside. "Genma dear, our son and his fiancee are here!"  
  
"Has pop been behaving himself?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Yes. We have some more matters to discuss, but he is showing  
some promise."  
  
Genma was sitting in the dining room reading the paper and  
Nodoka left the couple there while she went to check on dinner. Ranma  
nodded to Akane and the two  
took seats next to each other.  
  
"You'd better not be getting slack in your training, boy," he  
huffed from behind the paper.  
  
"Knock it off, Oyaji, there's somethin' I wanna ask you." Ranma  
took a deep breath. "This mornin' this old guy said somethin' about a  
family curse. He said you'd know about it."  
  
The Saotome partriarch froze. It would have been an easy thing,  
he realized, to just deny it, laugh, and shrug it off as just crazy  
nonsense spouted by a crazier stranger. After all, they didn't have any  
real proof, did they?  
  
He lowered the paper some to glance at his son and his fiancee.  
Their curious and determined faces were studying and gauging his own.  
"He did, did he?"  
  
"Yeah, so what's the deal, Oyaji?"  
  
[Just lie and...] Internally, he winced and sighed. [No. That  
never worked before, and it just got me into more trouble. I can't shirk  
responsibility anymore. Not if I want my wife, the woman I love, back.  
They have a right to know and it might as well be now.]  
  
With great ceremony, he folded the newspaper and laid it upon  
the table. "I knew this would come up, eventually," he intoned solemnly.  
He raised his voice and called to the kitchen. "Nodoka, would you mind  
coming in here for a few minutes?" Ranma and Akane exchanged surprised  
glances, even as the Saotome matriarch entered the room. "It seems our  
son would like to know about my family's curse."  
  
Both Ranma and Akane were now throughly baffled. It was clear  
that they expected Genma to laugh it off and/or spout some nonsense. But  
he actually seemed serious about this.  
  
Nodoka bit her lower lip nervously as she entered the room. She  
nodded to the younger couple and took a seat next to her husband.  
"Please be aware that I knew about his family's curse before I married  
him. It is good you are asking about it now, as this concerns both you  
and Akane." She nodded for her husband to continue.  
  
Genma closed his eyes and turned his back to them, as he began  
to recite his tale. "It is said that a long time ago, our ancester  
joined with others and fought a mighty battle over a very strong evil.  
Despite the strength they wielded, they were only able to weaken and  
trap their adversary. Before it went, however, it cursed our ancestor  
and several others. These curses would afflict us down through the  
generations. Who the others our ancestor fought with has been lost to  
time, but not our curse."  
  
He took a deep breath before continuing, and felt Nodoka take  
his hand. "Before the evil was trapped, it cursed the Saotome line. From  
then on, we would only have one child and it would always be male. When  
that male marries, he passes part of the curse to his wife. In that way,  
the evil was assured that we would not amount to a great enough number  
to threaten his return."  
  
Ranma and Akane sat there stunned. Neither one of them imagined  
anything like that. Akane found her voice first. "Does that mean  
Ranma..."  
  
Genma nodded. "If you marry him, you will only have one male  
child."  
  
"The doctors confirmed that both of us were sterile after you  
were born, Ranma," Nodoka added. "Based on this, you will have to decide  
for yourselves if you still want to go through with this arranged  
marriage. I pray you will."  
  
Genma finally turned back around to face his family. "And  
that's one of the reasons I took you on the trip. Your mother wasn't up  
to travel, and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to break  
the curse." He sighed and looked down. "I failed."  
  
"There has to be some way to break this curse, right?" Akane  
asked, worridly..  
  
Genma shook his head. "Like my father before me, I tried  
everything."  
  
Ranma glanced back and forth between both his parents, growing  
increasingly upset. "Then what about all that crap you put me through!?  
The Nekoken, Jusenkyo, and tons of other stuff you called trainin'!"  
  
"Ranma, he may have made some mistakes," Nodoka said, glancing  
at Genma. "But he is still your father."  
  
"But mom!" Ranma relented under his mother's gaze. "Alright,  
momma."  
  
"Of course, training you was also a part our trip, Ranma," Genma  
continued. "You see, it's also said that our ancestor lost much of their  
power when he was cursed. With each generation, there is an increase in  
ability as some of that power is regained. While you are better than me,  
your son will be better than you. When you have your son, Ranma, you  
will have to train him in the art as well. This is to prepare him in  
case whatever cursed us returns, like it says in the legend."  
  
"I love your father, in spite of the curse," Nodoka said to the  
two now-speechless and confused teens. "I was from a poor family and  
gladly married your father so that they would be better off. In time, I  
came to love him. When Genma said he was going to take you away on a  
training trip for 10 years, I became very upset, even though I knew it  
had to be. Eventually, Genma made that promise to raise you as a man  
amongst men or else commit seppuku. I was so angry at him, that I  
grabbed my family's sword, pointed it at him, and swore that I would  
hold him to it."  
  
She looked down, and the pain on her face was evident to both  
Ranma and Akane. A single tear leaked out of her right eye. "I spent the  
next ten years learning to use it, but I would rather have had my son.  
Still, I understood my duty." She looked up to see various emotions play  
across the couple's faces. "I know this has been a bit much. I will  
leave you to think it over while I go back to check on dinner. Akane-  
chan, would you like to join me?"  
  
Akane nodded absently, her mind on autopilot, and and the two  
women left.  
  
Ranma was so stunned about all thatt he had heard, he didn't  
even register that Akane was going into the kitchen.  
  
  
  
  
  
While working with the rice cooker, Akane was quiet. Nodoka  
noticed this and attempted to get her to open up.  
  
"You want to talk about this, dear?" she asked.  
  
Akane looked up at her. "Oh, Obasama, I don't know what to  
think. What am I going to do? I love Ranma, but I can only have one male  
child before I become sterile? I don't know if I can accept that." Tears  
formed her eyes and Nodoka felt compelled to hug her. "What do I do?"  
  
"There, there, dear." She stroked the young girl's hair. "It's  
something you'll have to decide with Ranma. Remember though, you can  
still have sex."  
  
That effectively stopped the tears as Akane blushed furiously,  
thoughts of sex with Ranma flashing through her mind. [I'm not a  
pervert! I'm not a pervert!] she chanted internally. A memory of the  
first time she met the male Ranma popped into her head, him stepping out  
of the furo. [Although...]  
  
Nodoka went on, seemingly oblivious to Akane's internal  
reverie. "The curse won't have any affect on you until after you give  
birth to your child. One thing that we've been able to learn, is that  
all curses have a power source that, if destroyed, will negate the  
curse. That was another reason Genma went away, to either find the  
source of the curse, or a cure. He believed that I should be able to  
have more children if I chose."  
  
Akane dried her face on her sleeve. "Thank you, Obasama. I-I  
have a lot to think about. I guess Ranma and I should have a talk."  
  
"Very good dear. Now, let's return to the stir fry..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Traveling home after dinner that night, the two confused and  
wary teens walked side-by-side without touching. Both lost in their  
thoughts and each afraid of the other's reaction.  
  
[Will Akane reject me?] Ranma thought. [And maybe I should let  
her. After all, she does deserve the chance to have more than one kid. I  
don't want her to go, but the best thing would to let her go.]  
  
[Will Ranma push me away] Akane wondered. [Do I want him to? The  
important thing is I do love him. And one child wouldn't be so bad. At  
least we can have children. Besides, we have plenty of time to hold off  
having kids. After all, we're still in high school. Next will come  
college. Only after that can we consider having the time to have a  
baby.]  
  
"Ranma?" "Akane?" They said in unison.  
  
"You go first." "Go ahead." Twin blushed marred their faces.  
  
"I'll go first," Akane stated, clearing her throat. "I won't lie  
to you. This is a big thing and it does scare me some. But what would  
scare me more, is living without you. I still love you and I want to  
spend my life with the man I love. Besides, we will at least be  
guaranteed of having a son to train in the art."  
  
"Akane," said Ranma as he stopped walking. Akane stopped a few  
steps after and turned to face him. "I was thinkin' of whether it would  
be fair to ya to be forced to only have one child if you want more.  
Maybe you would be better off with someone who could give you what I  
can't..."  
  
Akane scowled and stepped up to him. "Saotome Ranma! I don't  
want anyone else!" Her face softened. "I told you I love you and I'm  
sticking by you no matter what, so don't you dare try to push me away!"  
  
"Akane..."  
  
She put a pair of fingers on his lips to silence him. "No.  
Please don't shut me out. I want to stay by your side until the day I  
die. Whatever comes, we face it together and make the decisions  
together. You want to protect me, and that's alright; but I want to  
protect you, too. We're partners, Ranma, now and forever."  
  
Ranma smiled slowly. "Partners, eh? Heh, I kinda like the sound  
of that." He looked down. "Thanks Akane, I... I don't really want you to  
go. I told you I do need you..."  
  
She smiled warmly at him and her hand took his as they began  
walking again. They passed several more minutes in silence before Ranma  
chuckled.  
  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
"I was just thinking of Ryoga and his family curse. I think  
kinda know how he feels now. To know something is wrong with you, yet be  
so helpless ta change it." Akane stopped cold and Ranma circled back  
around when he realized she was no longer beside him. "What is it,  
Akane?"  
  
"Ranma, don't you see?" she said. "Ryoga's got a family curse.  
So do you. And if you think about, so does Kuno. Didn't your dad say  
that your ancestor fought along side other warriors against this evil  
and it cursed them?"  
  
Ranma blinked as the implications hit."You mean Ryoga's an'  
Kuno's ancestors fought alongside mine and that's how we were cursed?"  
She nodded. "I should ask Ucchan, Kenji, and Yuri if they have family  
curses. Maybe I should also write to Shampoo and Mousse and ask them. If  
it turns out they do, then maybe..."  
  
"Maybe there's a reason why several strong martial artists have  
gathered in one location?" she finished for him. They resumed their  
walk. "We should talk with Nabiki about this as well. If there is more  
information about this out there, she can find it." She looked up at her  
fiance. "Don't worry, whatever happens, I'll be right here with you."  
  
He looked at her with wondering eyes, then their heads tilted  
in toward each other. There was a slight hesitation on both their parts,  
but eventually their lips met. It was only a light kiss, but this kiss  
far more important than all the others.  
  
This one was made with the knowledge that no matter what the  
future held for them, they would face it together. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
  
"So, that's what we know," Akane finished up.  
  
Nabiki sat in the furo with her sister, contemplating all she  
had heard. "Wow. You can only have one child with Ranma."  
  
"Yeah, but it won't be so bad," Akane said. "Large families have  
their badpoints."  
  
Nabiki nodded and tapped her chin. "I'll agree with you on one  
thing, there are too many coincidences here and I don't believe in  
coincidences." She sighed. "But I have to tell you, I don't have a clue  
on where to start researching this."  
  
Akane sighed in response. "Me either."  
  
Nabiki giggled. "Nodoka-obasama is right, though. Once you have  
kid, you won't have to worry about protection when you have sex."  
  
"Nabiki!" Akane splashed her sister.  
  
The other girl wiped the water off her face. "Now you know  
you've never beaten me in a water fight before, sis." She returned a  
tidal wave unto her sister.  
  
"We'll see about that!"  
  
Akane began to dog paddle her hands, sending torrents of water  
across the furo. Nabiki retaliated as best as she could, but quickly was  
forced to recede under her sister's assault. Shrieking, Nabiki leapt out  
of the bathtub and grabbed the nozzle spray, which she quickly turned on  
her sister.  
  
Akane wasn't idle. She leapt out the furo, flipped over her  
sister's head, and grabbed a bucket. Nabiki's cold spray met empty air.  
Turning around, Akane had already filled the bucket with cold water and  
the two girls' arsenals were launched simultaneously.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Outside the changing room door, Kasumi was assaulted by a pair  
of loud female shrieks. [Oh dear. I guess I will have to clean the  
bathroom later today.]  
  
She knocked on the door. "Breakfast will be ready shortly."  
  
A pair of affirmitive replies greeted her, then they quickly  
changed to giggles.  
  
"Akane!" Ranma cried as he bolted down the hall. "I heard the  
scream! Is she alright!?"  
  
Kasumi smiled at him. "Oh yes, Ranma-kun. Nabiki and Akane were  
merely engaged in a water fight. Now if you'll excuse me, I must check  
up on breakfast."  
  
As she departed, Ranma boggled at the fact that Akane wasn't in  
danger. "But... the scream..."  
  
A voice called from the changing room. "Relax, Saotome. Your  
fiancee's fine, if a bit wet and naked at the moment. Though if you  
wanted to break in here and make sure..."  
  
"Nabiki!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Miyo and Toshi looked back and forth between the two people  
sitting across from them and tried to digest the tale they were just  
told. Then they both broke out laughing hysterically.  
  
"Hey, it's not funny!" Ariko-in-Hikaru's-body exclaimed.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I would've never forseen this," Miyo managed  
between fits of laughter.  
  
"Well, can you help us?" Hikaru-in-Ariko's-body asked.  
  
"Give me a few minutes," Toshi said, then went back into  
laughing his head off, showing more emotion then they had ever seen out  
of him. Hikaru and Ariko stewed for several minutes while the  
spiritualist got it out of his system. Eventually, he managed to calm  
down. "Sorry. I think I can help you. Yubanaga can do a `soul  
transference' and exhange two peoples' spirits. We'll need a crystal  
ball, which Miyo has."  
  
Ariko-in-Hikaru's-body looked happy. "Great! When can we  
start?"  
  
"Unfortunately, soul transfers are tricky at best," Toshi  
explained. "Yubanaga is at full power on the night of a full moon, so  
we'll have to wait the two-and-a-half weeks `til the next one."  
  
"You mean I have to spend almost three weeks like this?" Hikaru-  
in-Ariko's-body complained.  
  
"Well, you always complain about how no one notices you," said  
Miyo. "Well, you can get a lot of attention with that body." That  
brought a new round of laughter from the two. "Just use this opportunity  
to get to know one another better."  
  
Hikaru and Ariko groaned and slapped their forheads in unison.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kenji sat down under a tree for lunch. He and Ukyo had come to  
school today, leaving Yuri at the restaurant to rest. He absently picked  
at his food, wondering if Ukyo would speak to him ever again. As if on  
cue, a shadow draped itself over him and he looked up to see Ukyo  
standing in front of him. He blinked, still getting used to the fact she  
had been wearing a girl's Furinken uniform for the past several weeks.  
  
"Um, mind if I join you?" she asked, tentatively.  
  
Kenji smiled nervously. "Be my guest."  
  
She opened her own lunch and began to eat. For several minutes,  
neither said anything. Then, Ukyo felt compelled to speak.  
  
"Kenji-san, I have to apologize. I haven't been treating you as  
well as I should have."  
  
Kenji blinked. "Ukyo-san? It's okay, really I..."  
  
She put her hand over his mouth and glared at him. "Shut up,  
sugar. I'm trying to apologize here." He nodded and she removed her  
hand. "My treatment of you has been... less than fair. I mean," she  
started to chuckle, "I was actually getting a little jealous of your  
date with Yuka, almost like I liked you or something." She started  
laughing. "Can you imagine that?"  
  
Kenji forced himself to laugh with her. "Yeah. Imagine that! I  
almost though I liked you, too!"  
  
The two teens laughed some more as they broke out their  
lunches. The laughing died down as they were about to take the first  
bite of their okonomiyaki. Then without another word, the two put down  
their meals without eating, their cheeks coloring slightly.  
  
"Okay, maybe I lied a little," Ukyo said at last.  
  
"Me, too," Kenji answered her softly. "So, what do we do?"  
  
Ukyo shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't had much luck with  
men."  
  
"You mean, Ranma?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah. Until you, the only men who paid attention  
to me were Ranma, Tsubasa, and Konatsu, all three being crossdressers.  
Tsubasa was just annoying, but Konatsu wasn't so bad. He had a bad life  
and I guess I just felt sorry for him. He was also very kind."  
  
Kenji didn't know what to say to that. The kunoichi had given  
his life for Kenji. They never found a body, but he assumed Konatsu  
would show up by now if he was still alive. He looked up.  
  
"So what about now?" he asked, hesitantly. "Do you want to start  
over and be friends?"  
  
She smiled at him. "I'd like that. Friends."  
  
He held out his hand and she shook it, matching her smile.  
"Friends."  
  
Ukyo's facial features changed slightly, and her cheeks colored  
a bit more. "Well, truth be told...I wouldn't mind being a bit more than  
friends..."  
  
Kenji returned her look and, ever so slowly, they leaned  
forward. They're lips were scant millimeters apart, when another voice  
jolted them out of there moment.  
  
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY FIANCE!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey look, Kenji and Ucchan are sittin' with each other," Ranma  
pointed out to Akane. "Think we should go say hi?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "No, I think they need some time alone.  
Yuri's been telling me things were getting tough between them. From the  
looks on their faces, I think they're working things out. Now, time to  
try the lunch I made for you."  
  
Ranma froze. [Uh oh. What do I do? Mom says she's getting  
better, and she's been going through Mrs. Tendo's old cookbook. I don't  
want to upset her, so maybe I should...]  
  
He grinned nervously and accepted the lunch box. Opening it up,  
he observed the contents. [Hmmm, looks recognizable, but that's happened  
before. Oh well, better get it over with.] He selected some rice to  
start, [at least it looks like rice...] and slowly brought the  
chopsticks up to his mouth. He placed it inside and began to chew.  
[Hmmm... not bad. A little dry perhaps, but certainly edible.]  
  
Akane had been watching with a hopeful look on her face. She  
had worked really hard on it and Kasumi and watched her the entire time,  
offering little corrections. She kept her cool and carefully checked all  
the recipe steps. When Ranma's look of concentration turned to a wide  
grin, she nearly became giddy.  
  
He swallowed. "Hmmm, not bad."  
  
"You mean it? You're not just saying that?"  
  
"It ain't perfect, but it's edible and non-toxic." Before she  
could say anything, he ate some more.  
  
Several emotions flashed through her, but she couldn't pick one  
so she was left stunned. "Ranma..."  
  
That's when they heard the shout.  
  
They both turned and looked, along with the rest of the school,  
at the girl who had just screamed, "Get your hands off my fiance!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Who're you?" Ukyo asked.  
  
The little girl scowled at her. Her clothes were somewhat dirty  
and ragged, as if she had been wearing them for a few days. In contrast,  
the deep blue hair that reached her waist made her seem quite pretty for  
a girl who had obviously been on the road for awhile.  
  
"I'm Selah, Lenwith Selah. And he's my fiance." She pointed at  
Kenji.  
  
Kenji blinked. "Me!? I'm sorry, I don't know who you are."  
  
Ukyo looked at him, surprised. "You got your memories back, you  
sure you don't remember?"  
  
Kenji nodded slowly.  
  
"Of course he doesn't remember," Selah said. "We were promised  
to each other when you were only five." She dug into her pocket and  
fished something out. "Here!" She thrust a photograph into Kenji's  
hands.  
  
Ukyo looked over his shoulder at it. "It's definitely you,  
albeit a slightly younger you."  
  
Selah tapped her foot impatiently. "Turn it over!"  
  
Kenji turned it over and read the writing on the back.  
"Soyokaze Kenji. If anything should happen to her parents, he will take  
care of Selah Lenwith for the rest of her life."  
  
They both looked at her her and she grabbed the picture back.  
"See! It was my mommy and yours that wrote that!"  
  
Ukyo frowned. "Uh, Selah, how old are you?"  
  
She grinned. "I'm 13!"  
  
They facefaulted at that.  
  
"Don't you think you're a little too young for me?" Kenji asked,  
getting back off the ground.  
  
She scowled. "Of course not, we're only four years apart!"  
  
"Listen honey, maybe you should come back in a few years when  
you're all grown up, then maybe..." Ukyo was cut off by a geyser of  
water that eminated from the little girl and struck the chef, sending  
her tumbling into the bushes.  
  
Kenji blinked in astonishment. "You're a water mage!?"  
  
She grinned and glomped onto him. "Yep! I was trained by mom!  
She was one of the best." Kenji froze, unsure of what to do.  
  
"WHERE IS THE LITTLE BRAT!" Ukyo yelled as she stormed into  
view, moderately damp. She took in the sight of Selah in Kenji's lap and  
unslung her battle spat. "Let go of him!"  
  
"He's mine ya old bag!" Selah said. "Go find someone else!"  
  
"Old... BAG!?" Ukyo shrieked and raised her battle spat high.  
  
Kenji leapt to his feet, dislodging Selah gently. "Ukyo! You  
can't hit her, she's just a little girl!"  
  
"Oh yes I can! And who's side are you on anyway!?"  
  
Kenji stammered. "Uh, yours!"  
  
"WHAT!?" the little girl screeched. "Kenji-chan, how could you?"  
  
Kenji turned and stared the little girl scowling at him.  
  
Ukyo boggled. "Kenji-CHAN!? Are you sure you don't know who  
this is?"  
  
He quickly brought his head back up. "No! Look, I just don't  
want anyone to get hurt!"  
  
Ukyo looked at the little girl cowering behind Kenji and her  
anger lost some of it's steam. She replaced her spatula. "Very well, but  
we're gonna have a long talk about this."  
  
Kenji released the breath he was holding and turned to Selah.  
"Okay, so where are your parents?"  
  
She got a sad look on her face. "Mommy and daddy are gone.  
Mommy said daddy died to protect us, then she disappeared a few days  
ago."  
  
"So who are you staying with, honey?" Ukyo asked.  
  
She smiled broadly. "I take care of myself!"  
  
Kenji shook his head. "What do we do now?"  
  
"We get married!" Selah exclaimed with a glomp that would've  
made Shampoo beam with pride.  
  
Kenji groaned and Ukyo seethed.  
  
"Hey Kenji, congratulations!" Ranma said as he and Akane  
approached. Everyone looked at him strange. "What? He passed his final  
Nerima martial artist initiation: He's got a fiancee!"  
  
Group facefaults ensued.  
  
"Ranma!" Akane slugged him. "We should be helping him, not  
encouraging things."  
  
"Gomen." Ranma turned back. "Hey, we heard everything."  
  
"So what do you suggest I do?" Kenji asked. "I heard you had  
unwanted fiancees, so you should know, right?"  
  
Ukyo laughed. "Yeah, but his solution was to lead us on and  
ignore responsibility."  
  
"Hey!" Ranma objected. "I just didn't want to hurt anyone!"  
  
Akane sighed. "Both statements are true. Kenji-kun, why don't  
you take Selah-san back to the restaurant where you and your sister can  
watch her. We'll come by later this evening with Nabiki and discuss what  
to do. Don't worry, we'll try to find Selah's mother and clear this up."  
  
"Why me?" Kenji asked. Then he looked down at Selah's big puppy  
dog eyes, full of love and hope, and he sighed. "I guess you won't go  
with anyone else."  
  
She nodded with a big smile on her face and hugged him tighter.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki met Ranma and Akane as they were leaving school that day  
and she gestured them over.  
  
"What is it, Nabiki?" Akane asked.  
  
"I need to borrow your fiance for awhile," she answered. "For a  
top secret project."  
  
Akane cocked her head and Ranma scratched his. The he  
remembered. "Oh yeah, there's somethin' she wants me to do. I'll meet ya  
at home, okay?"  
  
His fiancee got a suspicious look in her eye. She knew the two  
were up to something, and that it should probably concern her... [Trust,  
Akane, trust.] she said to herself. [I've got to learn to trust him.]  
"Okay. I'll see you later." Then she kissed him on the cheek and left.  
  
Nabiki grabbed his arm and began to drag him off. "All right,  
lover boy, I know of a great little jewelry shop nearby then should have  
some pretty good deals."  
  
"Thanks Nabiki, I really appreciate this," said Ranma.  
  
"No problem, you are going to be family, and I always take care  
of family."  
  
"Like you took care of your sister's wedding?" Ranma froze.  
"Gomen! I didn't mean..."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "It's okay, really. I knew my little sister  
loved you, but I didn't know if you loved her. I knew my dad was bribing  
her with the nanniichaun water, but I didn't know if she was ready for  
it. So, by inviting all the crazies, I made sure it was stopped." She  
looked up at him. "But now that I do know you love Akane, I won't stand  
in the way of your next wedding."  
  
Ranma exhaled. [Gotta work on thinkin' before I speak.]  
"Arigato."  
  
They arrived at a small, non-descript jewelry store and headed  
inside. Nabiki told Ranma to wait while she went ahead and talked to the  
sales lady in hushed tones. After a couple of minutes, Nabiki waved him  
over to look at several rings in a special boxed case.  
  
"Anyone of these will work," she said. "These fit both the  
criteria of price range and the fact that Akane will like it."  
  
Ranma tooke a minute to look over the rings. [Which one do I  
choose? I don't know which one to get!] He took a deep breath, then  
extended his ki senses. He smiled, then picked up a ring. "I'll take  
this one!"  
  
Nabiki looked it over. It was a beatiful 24-carat gold ring  
with an inlaid ruby and sapphire yin/yang symbol. "Gotta hand it to you,  
this fits you and Akane's relationship perfectly. You're a study in  
contrasts." She smiled. "Okay, let's get in boxed up and get home. You  
know when you're going give it to her?"  
  
He nodded. "On our training trip. That way we'll be alone and I  
can be assured of no one interferring."  
  
She scowled as they left the store. "Well, that's no good, how  
am I supposed to video tape it?"  
  
Ranma just grinned.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She was alone.  
  
[Yes, that does sum up my life quite nicely,] she thought  
blearily. [I've always been alone. Oh, sure, I had family, but they were  
never there for me. Mother's gone and father all but abandoned us. My  
idiotic brother always chasing after his twin loves. And friends? Not  
really. The girls who I hung out with were more scared of me than truely  
friends.]  
  
{It's okay, I'm here.}  
  
[Who are you?]  
  
{Don't you know? I've always been here for you. I take care of  
you.}  
  
[You have?]  
  
{Yes, because I'm the only one who truely loves you.}  
  
[You... love... me? You do seem familiar. Yes, I remember you  
now; you always talked to me and helped with my plans.]  
  
{Yes, and now it's time for your final plan: Saotome Ranma.}  
  
[But, he doesn't love me. He loves that vile Tendo woman.]  
  
{Not really. It's an arranged marriage, remember? You have to  
free him from it. In time, he will come to love you as much as I have.  
You have already made the preperations, now is the time to strike.}  
  
Kodachi, the Black Rose, Kuno, rose to her feet. "Yes, I must  
have someone to love. Ranma will love me, I know he will. Right?"  
  
{Of course.} 


	3. Chapter 3

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
  
The next couple of days passed slowly and uneventfully, which  
scared the residents of Nerima to death. Fortunately for them (and this  
story), more trouble was waiting in the wings to make it's debut on  
stage.  
  
There were, however, a couple of residents of this small town  
that were glad for the peace and quiet.  
  
"How has your English studies been coming, Ranma?" Akane asked  
as the two of them headed home Friday afternoon.  
  
He sighed. "Better, but I'm still havin' trouble. I'm a martial  
artist, why do I need ta know this stuff?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "We've been over this before. We're going  
to be running a dojo, but we won't get many students because they'll  
want a sensei with at least a high school education. And it's not just  
language, all of your studies can help you in and out of combat. Just  
think of them as learning new techniques." She grabbed ahold of his hand  
with hers and gave it a loving squeeze, before releasing it. "Besides, I  
don't want a real baka for a husband!"  
  
Ranma grinned. "And just what makes you think a macho tomboy  
like you will find a husband?"  
  
"Ranma!" She swung her bookbag at him, but he ducked to avoid  
it.  
  
"Biii-da!" He stuck his tongue out at her and pulled his eyelid  
down with a finger as he ran from her attacks.  
  
Akane was tempted to continue the chase, but decided on a  
different approach. She stopped and Ranma ran a few more feet before he  
realized she was no longer after him. He cocked his head curiously at  
her, wondering why she had lost interest in the chase.  
  
Akane pursed her lips, then started walking normally again like  
nothing happened. As she passed a bewildered Ranma, she said, "You're  
right, since I'd never want a half-girl pervert like you."  
  
Ranma's face dropped. "A-Akane?"  
  
She stopped, turned, then quickly pecked him on the lips.  
"Gotcha!"  
  
He swallowed and relaxed some, but Akane clearly saw a trace of  
fear remain on his face. [Oh no, did what I say really get to him?]  
"Ranma? What's wrong?"  
  
His mouth opened and closed a few times as he searched for the  
words. Then, he shook his head and started to walk off. "Ah, forget it."  
  
Akane matched his pace, then stepped in front of him, stopping  
him. "No I will not forget it. I want to know what's wrong!" She shifted  
on her feet. "Is this about what I said?" He nodded slowly. "Ranma, you  
know I love you..."  
  
Ranma sighed and looked down. He knew this had to come up  
sooner or later. "Akane, what about the curse?"  
  
Akane suddenly understood what was bothering him, and cursed  
herself inwardly. "Ranma, you have to understand that as long as I've  
known you, you've had the curse. To me, it's part of who you are, and I  
love all of you."  
  
"But you just said..."  
  
"Ranma, you know I didn't mean it. Besides I..." she closed her  
mouth. "Anyway, let's go home." She took his hand and they started to  
walk.  
  
He shook his head and sighed. "I can't believe this. A couple  
of months ago I would've never thought something like this would've been  
possible, or that I'd be down to one fiancee. Speaking of fiancees,  
how's Kenji doing with Selah?"  
  
"They've reach a tentative agreement," she replied. "For now,  
Kenji's just said he doesn't have time for dating or marriage. He hopes  
that'll keep Selah off his back while Nabiki tracks down her mom. The  
little kid is sweet, though that water blast technique of hers gets  
annoying. Ukyo's been on the receiving end quite a few times and it's  
taking both of the Soyokaze siblings to hold her back from, and I quote,  
`makin' okonomiyaki out of the little water witch'."  
  
They shared a laugh over that. Selah had apparently accepted  
the fact that if she was going to get married to Kenji, it would have to  
wait until she was older. The only way they got her to go along with it,  
was to have Kenji promise he wouldn't marry or date anyone else in the  
meantime. Hopefully, Nabiki could find her mom soon and straighten the  
whole mess out. Or at least, slowly wean the young girl off the idea  
until she gave up.  
  
Akane looked up at her man. She wanted to talk about setting a  
wedding date, but she also didn't want to push it. Ranma had said he  
loved her and wanted to wait, and that should have been good enough for  
her. She kinda wanted to wait too, but with all the crazy things that  
happened in their life, she didn't want to take the chance that  
something would happen that would seperate them forever.  
  
Ranma's head suddenly perked up. He sensed something familiar  
nearby and was trying to identify where and what it was. Movement!  
Something heading straight for them. Ranma pushed Akane away as an  
object exploded at his feet, dispensing smoke. He vaguley felt a prick  
on the back of his neck as he scanned for the attacker.  
  
Akane jumped to her feet and watched as Ranma was enveloped by  
smoke. She called his name and ran towards him when something wrapped  
around her feet and body, pinning her arms to her side.  
  
Then she heard the laugh.  
  
"Kodachi!" she yelled. Last time Kodachi attacker her, believing  
her to be the obstacle in her path to Ranma. Akane was weak then, having  
just gone toe-to-toe with Shampoo. Well, this time she was at her best  
and it wouldn't be so easy.  
  
She easily snapped the ribbons that ensnared her, just in time  
to duck a punch from someone behind her. She sent her foot slamming  
backwards and was rewarded with an `oomph' from a guy as she drove the  
wind from him. All of a sudden, there were five more guys surrounding  
her. Taking the initiative, she launched towards the closet one with a  
speed only some of the best martial artists could handle. These guys  
obviously weren't the best, but they were martial artists.  
  
The guy managed grab her outstreteched foot, but she twisted  
her body and sent her other one slamming into his head. Stars exploded  
in his vision and he released his grip, stumbling backward. She wasted  
no time, but turned to someone else, grabbing his wrist and twisting it,  
forcing him to his knees. She then grabbed his head and brought it  
forcefully down to meet her rising knee, then finished with backflip  
kick that sent him to the ground.  
  
Strong arms grabbed her from behind and restrained her while  
another two thugs advanced from the front. Leaning back into her holder,  
she lanced both feet out and grabbed one guy's head with both feet. A  
powerful twist from her body sent him crashing to the ground and her  
body twisting out of the first guy's grip.  
  
Absently she noted that their had been no sign of Ranma. He had  
not come to help her, so he either was in trouble or dealing with his  
own pack of thugs. She had a sinking feeling something was wrong and  
knew she had to end this quick. A couple of the thugs had recovered and  
they were once more surrounding her, a bit more cautious this time.  
  
She bit her lip. She didn't want to have to resort to this, but  
she couldn't waist the time.  
  
"Tora Dokiken!"  
  
The golden outline shimmered into existance, then she threw  
herself into her startled opponents with as much fury as she could  
muster. Powerful ki punches and kicks heavily knocked out her targets  
before they could react. In under ten seconds, it was over. The ones  
still able to move, were helping their fellows off.  
  
She looked around and her heart sank into her stomach. Ranma  
was gone. The smoke screen had hid him from her view, but it was gone  
now and so was he. In his place, was a single black rose.  
  
Akane picked it up and dashed for home. [It's okay, Ranma can  
deal with her. He probably got drawn into a fight. He'll come back home  
when he's done.] Somehow, this line of thought failed to appease her.  
No, she KNEW something had happened to him. And her only clue was the  
black rose she carried.  
  
Kodachi had planned it very well. Kidnapping Akane wasn't the  
plan. No, the thugs were just there to distract her.  
  
She was on the verge of tears when she crashed through the gate  
of the Tendo Dojo. "DAD! Nabiki! Kasumi! She's got Ranma!"  
  
  
  
  
Thirty minutes later, they were all gathered in the Tendo  
house. `They' being the Tendo and Saotome families and several others:  
Tatewaki, Ukyo, Kenji, Yuri, and Selah. Akane quickly explained the  
situation while her father and Kasumi tried to prevent the angry young  
girl from going off on her own.  
  
"I knew my twisted sister would not sit idle," Kuno stated. "Tis  
my fault. I had hoped with the death of Galfgar, her madness would be  
lifted. It would appear I was mistaken. I am truly sorry, Tendo Akane."  
He bowed low to her.  
  
Nabiki patted his back. "It's okay, Kuno-baby. No one blames  
you. Maybe you can help by telling us where she may be hiding."  
  
"I regret I do not know. The Kuno family has many holdings and  
she could be in any one of them. Or she could be in a place I do not  
know of. She must be holding Sasuke as well, since I have not seen him  
for many days."  
  
"Then how do we find my son?" Nodoka asked worridly.  
  
Genma laid a hand on her shoulder. "I promise you, wife, we  
will find him." She nodded, somewhat appeased by his conviction.  
  
"So we know who took Ranchan, but not where," Ukyo summed up.  
  
"Kodachi's name is already in my most wanted list," Nabiki  
said. "I'll put word out of the street; if any of my contacts see Ranma  
or Kodachi, I'll know. Does anybody else have any ideas?"  
  
Kenji stepped forward and cleared his throat. All eyes turned  
to him. "I may know of a way to find him..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Several seconds after the smoke engulfed him, Ranma started  
feeling weak and dizzy. [Drugged!] the word came to him. [Someone hit me  
with a dart. Got to fight it] But it was no use. He briefly caught sight  
of Akane battling some thugs before he started to fall. Someone caught  
him and stuffed him into a bag. He tried to resist, but it was no use;  
his strength was deserting him.  
  
He awoke some time later. He was still in a bag, and he could  
tell he was in some vehicle by the movement. His strength was still  
absent and he could only manage a little movement. He heard some voices  
and a needle embedded itself in his arm. Shortly thereafter, he was out  
again.  
  
He awoke again, though how much later, he didn't know. [I'm  
losing too much time. I could've only been out for maybe a couple of  
hours. I'm just getting hungry since I haven't had dinner, which means  
it still has to be the same day. How much later in the day is it  
though?]  
  
Slowly feeling out his surroundings, he discovered two things:  
One, he was no longer in a bag, and two, he was restrained on some  
table. He slowly tried to open his eyes.  
  
At first there was nothing and he worried that whatever drugs  
they used on him had made him blind. Then he detected a low amount of  
light eminating from somewhere and that fear was dispelled. He still was  
unable move much, which meant he was still at the mercy of his captors.  
[Just wait'll I get my strength back, I'll show whoever it is that no  
one messes with Saotome Ranma!]  
  
"I see you're finally awake, darling," came a voice.  
  
[Oh no. Kami, no.]  
  
"Don't try to move too much, the drugs are still in your  
system," said Kodachi. "And don't think anyone will come for you. No one  
knows where we are. They may look for you, but eventually they will give  
up, grieve your loss, and move on."  
  
Ranma tried to say something, but it only came out as a gurgle.  
  
"What was that? Don't worry, your voice will return in time. I  
just can't have you regaining your full strength yet. Not until you see  
that I am the best woman for you. Surely you must realize that the Tendo  
woman would be no good for you. After all, she hits you and insults you;  
how long would you live with her as your wife? I, on the other, have  
status and wealth, and I can make you the happiest man on the planet."  
Her face filled his vision and she stroked his hair. "Soon we will  
married and we will make beautiful music together!"  
  
She kissed him and Ranma tried to resist, but couldn't. He felt  
his body shudder in disgust. If Kodachi noticed, she didn't show it.  
  
Suddenly, she looked up. "What was that? Take him now? I can't  
do that. We must be married first!"  
  
Ranma's eyes bugged out and he shuddered again. [Please find me  
soon Akane! I can take the humiliation of being rescued if it means  
getting away from this fruitcake!]  
  
"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Kodachi said to someone only  
she could hear. "No, I want to wait until he accepts me. No, I'm not  
changing my mind. He will come around. Yes, you're right." She looked  
back down at him. "I've got to go and handle a few things, but I'll be  
back Ranma-darling. Be strong!" And then she was gone.  
  
Not since Jusendo, when he thought Akane was dead, was he ever  
this scared.  
  
  
  
  
  
"It was right here," Akane pointed and set the rose down.  
  
Akane had led Genma, Soun, Ukyo, Kenji, Yuri, and Selah back to  
the fight scene. Nabiki stayed at home to coordinate the search efforts  
and spread the word to her contacts. Kenji tried to argue that Selah  
should stay, but she wanted to follow him wherever he went. In the  
interest of time, he gave in. Plus, her abilities might prove useful for  
what he had in mind.  
  
Kuno soon arrived with a few small items. "Here are the items  
you requested Kenji-san."  
  
"Thanks," he said, then nodded towards Selah. "Okay, do it."  
  
Selah concentrated, then shot a stream of cold water into  
Kenji's face. He promptly shrunk into his wolf form. Yuri helped get the  
clothes off him.  
  
When Selah first found out that he changed into a doggy, she  
thought he was just too kawaii. Absently, she was having fun changing  
him back and forth with hot and cold water blasts. Since a hot water  
blast brought him back minus his clothes, he hadn't become too happy  
with her behavior.  
  
Now however, it would be useful.  
  
Kenji stepped on over and sniffed the rose. He then sniffed the  
items Kuno brought. A leaotard, ribbon, and some personal effects of his  
sister's. He then walked around in a circle sniffing. [Okay, I can pick  
up several different scents. I've got Kodachi's, Ranma's, and several  
others. They must be the thugs she hired.] He found the direction they  
headed in and started in that direction, barking twice.  
  
That was the signal and everyone else bolted after the  
transformed wolf.  
  
Akane's mind was mostly on Ranma. In fact, she had even slipped  
into a dark blue, sleeveless chinese style shirt of his with black  
pants. She knew there was going to be a fight, and she wanted to change  
out of her school dress. She was going to put on her gi, when she  
remembered what Ranma said when she asked about why he always wore the  
same thing.  
  
"Because I can fight in it, and I havta fight all the time," he  
had replied.  
  
If Ranma was comfortable fighting in this getup, she could do  
it, too. Besides, it was more comfortable than in her school dress.  
  
Kenji halted in the street and sniffed the ground several  
minutes more. [Hmmm... their trail ends here, but I smell a car. They  
must've driven from here!] He memorized the scent of the car while  
everyone else caught up.  
  
Then he was off again and the chase continued.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma could feel his strength returning. [Just a little bit  
more and I can snap these iron restraints. Then I'm outta here!]  
  
Kodachi chose that moment to return.  
  
"Ranma darling!" she called. "I'm baaack!"  
  
"Kodachi, why don't you just let me go?" Ranma asked, his voice  
having returned. "You should know that no matter what you do to me, I'll  
never love you the way you want."  
  
"NO! That's not true! Can't you see what that hussy has done to  
your mind!? They've brainwashed you somehow into accepting a loveless  
arranged marriage."  
  
Ranma sighed. It was no use reasoning with her; you needed a  
logical mind to do that and Kodachi didn't have full access to hers.  
"Then consider this: They ain't never gonna stop searching for me. You  
could take me anywhere and they'll find me. It's only a matter of time."  
  
He expected another angry outburst, but got laughter instead.  
"Oh, I know darling. That's why I'm leading them here. Once I trap and  
kill them, they will never bother us again." She noticed him struggle in  
his restraints. "Hmmm, you do recover fast. I guess I'll have to step up  
my plan!"  
  
He heard her walk away, do something, then walk back. A rag was  
then pressed over his nose and mouth. Ranma tried to hold his breath,  
but it was no use and he inhaled the chloroform.  
  
For the third time, his world faded to blackness and his last  
thought was, [This sucks...]  
  
  
  
  
  
After 45 minutes of travel, They stopped and rested. Everyone  
was getting tired and needed a short break. Akane wanted to continue on,  
but her father convinced her Ranma would be all right. After all, they'd  
be in no shape to rescue him if they were dead tired. She relented.  
  
The pack of snacks made by Kasumi before they left (who whipped  
them up in record time) was consumed, though Kenji ate his in his lupine  
form. A few minutes later, the chase continued.  
  
A half hour later, they arrived at what Kenji thought was their  
destination. The car he had been following was parked outside the drab,  
non-descript building. It was a small mansion of sorts, smaller than the  
Kuno estate, but still not a small structure. Kenji sniffed the air,  
detecting both Ranma and Kodachi's scents lead into the building. He  
turned toward the group and barked three times.  
  
Translation: Paydirt.  
  
Akane become elated and dashed into the yard with the rest of  
the group following. They slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The  
lobby was small, and the rescue group turned to Kenji to find the  
direction. He circled and sniffed the air, but there was too many scents  
in the air for him to pick out anything. He looked the group and  
whimpered.  
  
They took the hint and transformed him back.  
  
"I'm sorry guys," he said. "There's just too many scents in the  
air. Strong stuff too; perfumes, garlic, and various other stuff."  
  
"That's quite all right my strange fellow," said Kuno. Though he  
knew about them, he was still uncomfortable with Jusenkyo curses. It  
reminded him too much of how he had pursued Ranma's female half. That,  
and it was freaky to watch Kenji change back and forth. "Thou hast  
located the den where my wayward sister hides Saotome, and that's good  
enough."  
  
"Ohohohoho!" a voice echoed through an intercom. "When my early  
warning spies saw you were using a dog to track me, I took the liberty  
of erasing my trail with several strong scents."  
  
"Kodachi!" Akane yelled. "Give Ranma back right now, or I swear  
I'll kill you!"  
  
"But Ranma-sama doesn't want you, he only wants me. Isn't that  
right darling?"  
  
A new voice came on the intercom. "Just go away, Akane. My  
heart will always belong to Kodachi."  
  
Akane felt tears welling up. "No... That can't be him! What  
have you done to him!?"  
  
"Why nothing, dear girl. Those were his own words. But if you  
still want to see for yourself, do come in!"  
  
"KODACHI!" Akane cried. "You'll pay for this!"  
  
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't let her get to you,"  
Genma said. "She's just playing with your mind."  
  
"Uncle Saotome..."  
  
"Come on sugar, let's go find him!" Ukyo added.  
  
Akane dried her tears. "Thank you, all of you."  
  
"Should we split up?" Yuri asked.  
  
Genma nodded. "Yes, but only into teams. Soun and I will search  
the right side of the house. Akane, you go with Ukyo and Tatewaki and  
head upstairs. Selah goes with Kenji and Yuri to start searching the  
left. Good luck everybody."  
  
They agreed, then went their different ways.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma awoke yet again with the thought, [I'm really starting to  
hate this.] He hated even more where he was. HIs limbs were still  
chained, but this time he was on a plush bed. [Oh nononononononono.] A  
quick glance to his right revealed his captor seated next to a panel of  
buttons and monitors embedded in the far wall. From his viewpoint,  
movement could be detected on the monitors and could make out some the  
forms of his friends. [Akane! She came!]  
  
Kodachi glanced slyly back at him, a coy smile appearing on her  
face as she noticed his awakened state. "Oh, good to see you're awake  
darling. We'll have some fun with our guests, and then we'll have some  
fun together!" She fixed him with a sultry gaze, and for the first time  
he noticed she was no longer wearing her leotard, but some black  
lingerie that barely concealed her assets.  
  
He paled at that thought of what she had in store, then shoved  
it into a deep, dark, corner of his mind. He then promptly buried it  
under tons of rubble complete with a Shinto ward.  
  
"Oh look darling, three of your friends are lining up. I believe  
this is the group that contains the little witch girl who transformed  
that dog into a man with water. Let the games begin!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The three in question were walking down a short hall, checking  
rooms, though most were either storage rooms or bedrooms. The ninja  
siblings' sense perked up just time to see multiple darts fly down the  
hall from either end. They quickly shielded Selah and sent wind strikes  
down their own sides of the hall, blowing the darts into walls.  
  
Unfortunately, that's when the floor opened up beneath them.  
  
Kenji and Yuri recovered midfall, forming their air shells. As  
Kenji grabbed the little water mage, a load of dirt fell on them from  
above, destroying the shells and sending the three into the darkness  
below.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Three down, five to go!" Kodachi laughed to herself. "Time for  
the fathers!" She paused and put a finger to her lips. "I never did like  
fathers..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Soun and Genma were currently located in the, kitchen. Genma  
was searching the refridgerator right now, inspecting it thoroughly for  
clues. He didn't find much food... er, clues, however.  
  
"Come now, Saotome, we're supposed to be looking for your son,"  
Soun complained.  
  
"Can't find him on an empty stomach, Tendo," Genma returned.  
"But, there's nothing edible in here anyways. Let's go."  
  
Soun grumbled and followed his old friend into the dining room.  
Steel walls slammed down all around them, trapping them inside, and  
water began to pump out from the floor.  
  
"I do believe we're in trouble, Saotome."  
  
"Growph."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hmmm? Your father turned into a panda? Such a strange family...  
Oh well, time for your ex-fiancee's group now."  
  
Ranma gritted his teeth. [Akane, be careful! You're walking  
into a trap!]  
  
  
  
  
  
"You okay sugar?" Ukyo asked after Akane sneezed.  
  
"Yeah, I just had this strange feeling about Ranma," she  
replied.  
  
"Perchance we should check this room, fair ladies," Kuno  
offered, opening the door.  
  
At that instant, two walls slid down and blocked either end of  
the hallway. Spikes popped out of them and the two walls began to close  
at an alarming speed. The three froze for a second, then Ukyo pushed  
them all into the room Kuno had opened just as the walls crashed into  
each other.  
  
"Get the feeling she doesn't want us here?" Ukyo said, standing  
up.  
  
"I had thought that was apparent from the start, fair Kuonji,"  
Kuno replied.  
  
Ukyo rolled her eyes. "You may be sane, Kuno, but you still  
need a sense of humor."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"Cut the chatter, we need to find Ranma!" Akane implored.  
  
"We'll find him Akane-chan." She looked around the empty room  
and walked over to the window. Bullets came ringing in from the other  
side and the three hit the deck. Steel slid over the window, and several  
panels opened up, revealing nozzles. Flame tongues spouted from the  
nozzles, forcing them to the only safe point in the room, the middle.  
  
"I gather, then, that it's going to be a `hot time in the old  
town tonight'?" Kuno offered.  
  
Ukyo groaned. "Now he picks up his sense of humor."  
  
  
  
  
  
"That's it then! The last of the ones who could interefere are  
dealt with." Kodachi turned toward Ranma. "Your father's will drown when  
the water fills the room, the witch girl and her two friends are buried  
underground in darkness, and your ex-fiancee and her friends will either  
burn, or suffocate when the air becomes superheated. We've won Ranma-  
sama! Aren't you happy?"  
  
She slinked sexily over to him, slipped onto the bed, and  
draped her near-nude form on top of him, purring affectionately.  
  
Ranma tried to ignore how little of her body the lingerie  
covered. "Kodachi..."  
  
"Shhhh, my love. Let us consumate our relationship with the  
passing of your former friends."  
  
Ranma tried to think of some way to get out of this. "What  
about waiting until we're married?"  
  
"We're married in our hearts, that's what the voice tells me."  
  
[Great, she's listening to voices and there's nothing I can do  
to stop her unless...] He grinned. "You know what, it might not be so  
bad being with you."  
  
"Oh, Ranma-sama, you really mean it?"  
  
"Yeah, I mean, if you can show me a better time than Akane..."  
  
Kodachi squealed with delight. "I promise you the most erotic  
night of your life!"  
  
"Just one thing before we start. I'm kinda thirsty; mind if I  
get some cold water?"  
  
"For you darling, anything!" She ran off to a corner of the room  
and poured a cup. Then walked back over to him. She held the cup up to  
his lips and he drank some.  
  
"Thanks. I'm kinda warm, could you pour the rest over my face?"  
  
Kodachi looked a little confused, but did as he asked.  
  
The scream could be heard for miles. 


	4. Chapter 4

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
Chapter 4  
  
  
  
  
Kenji clawed his way out of the pile of dirt. He broke the  
surface with his hand and slowly pulled his head out, coughing up dirt.  
His body felt bruised and sore, but he didn't think anything was broken.  
He was concerned more for the two girls.  
  
"Yuri! Selah! Are you there? Can you hear me?"  
  
Silence. [Kuso! That Kodachi bitch is gonna pay!] He pulled  
himself out of the dirt pile and cleared the dirt from his eyes. He  
swore when he opened them. Blackness. [Am I blind?]  
  
Attuned his ears, he briefly wondered offhand what all the  
screaming was. Crawling on all fours, he traversed the earthen mound,  
calling out the names of his companions. He was growing more frustrated  
by the lack of response, when by pure chance he stumbled across a hand.  
He followed it to where the body lay half buried. It seemed small, so he  
guessed it was Selah. He began to dig her out.  
  
Laying her on her back, he felt around her body for injuries.  
She was still breathing, so she was still alive. Her head felt okay, no  
blood. Limbs seemed fine, no broken bones. She moaned under his touch  
and began to cough violently. Kenji quickly turned her over and held her  
up, patting her on the back and trying to force any dirt out of her  
mouth.  
  
"K-Kenji-chan?" she croaked.  
  
"Shhhh, I'm here Selah-san," he soothed.  
  
"W-where are we? Why can't I see? Am I blind?"  
  
He hugged her close and rubbed her back. "You're okay, It's  
just dark. Do feel all right? Does it hurt anywhere?"  
  
She thought for a minute. "My head hurts a little, and I have  
bumps, scratches, and bruises all over."  
  
"I'm gonna have to set you down for a minute while I look for  
Yuri, okay?"  
  
"I-I understand." Her voice changed a bit. "Hey! I know a spell  
that will help! It's one of the first mommy taught me!"  
  
He heard her mumble a few words, then a small light ball popped  
into being above her hand. They both turned away at the sudden bright  
light, and it vanished. Kenji was amazed.  
  
"Oh darn! Sorry Kenji-chan. I'll try it again." She mumbled  
again and the light popped back. This time, they were ready for it.  
  
The young ninja trainee set her down and looked around. The  
dirt was piled in the center of a brick room. There were no openings,  
and more dirt covered the floor than was in the pile. Selah sent the  
light up to the top of the room and the two looked around. Kenji spotted  
his sister laying on the other side of the room.  
  
She wasn't moving.  
  
He walked over to her and rolled her onto her back. Her eyes  
were closed, but he was relieved to see that she was still breathing.  
  
"Imouto-chan!" he said, gently shaking her. He elevated her head  
and brushed the dirt off of it. She began to stir.  
  
"Onniichan?" she croaked while spitting out dirt.  
  
"It's me. How do you feel?"  
  
"Like I just went several rounds with Akane," she groaned, then  
slowly sat up. Selah came over to them.  
  
"I couldn't find any way out," she said. "Sorry. But I do sense  
water nearby, and lots of it. I may be able to call it here and maybe  
open a passage with it."  
  
Kenji and Yuri were impressed. They stood up and gave her the  
clearance to do so. Selah giggled with delight and sat down,  
concentrating.  
  
After a few minutes, a rumbling could be heard, then the room  
exploded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"There's no way out!" Soun said, after having tried once again  
to break down the walls or ceiling. The room was almost filled up.  
  
[How much can you drink?] Genma-panda signed.  
  
"This is no time for jokes, Saotome."  
  
[Who's joking?]  
  
Soun sighed. "There's so much for us yet to do. We haven't even  
seen our kids get married yet. We're gonna dieeeee!" The last word was  
accompied by Soun's own waterworks.  
  
Genma-panda hit him on the head with a sign that read, [Don't  
add to the problem!]  
  
Soun dried up. "Sorry old friend, force of habit. I'm better  
now."  
  
The room was almost flooded now. There was just enough space  
between the water and the ceiling for their heads. Suddenly, the water  
in the room begin to move violently. The two drenched martial artists  
were tossed about as a whirlpool began to form.  
  
Then, the room was full. The water continued to churn, however,  
then released all of it's might against a potion of the floor. With a  
mighty *crack*, the water poured out through the new opening and Genma  
and Soun were pulled along with the now-rapidly moving river. It burst  
through several more walls, before slamming through a last brick one.  
  
Kenji and Yuri watched in fright as a huge amount of water  
burst through one wall, then redirected itself toward the ceiling before  
touching them. It plowed through the obstacle and shot out of the house  
before dissipating into rain which drenched everything, including Kenji.  
Selah broke out of her trance and the two girls helped the wolf through  
one of the openings.  
  
Outside, a man and a panda were caught up in a tree.  
  
"Why do I let you talk me into these things?" Soun asked his  
old-friend-now-panda.  
  
Instead of words, Genma drew a picture of a katana on his sign,  
and Soun sweatdropped.  
  
"I suppose you're right..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, in the bedroom...  
  
"Pig-tailed girl?" Kodachi asked after she recovered somewhat.  
She opened his Chinese shirt to make sure and was greeted by breasts.  
"Where's my Ranma-sama?"  
  
Onna-Ranma smirked. "I'm Ranma. Sorry to disappoint ya, but now  
you know why it would never work out between us."  
  
Kodachi thought for a minute, then turned her head as if  
listening to something. "What? You think so? Ok, I'll give it a try."  
She went over to the same corner and pulled a tea kettle off the stove.  
  
Ranma tried to hide his fear as she came back to him. [Does she  
know? How can she?]  
  
Kodachi debated with herself for a second, then poured the hot  
water on Ranma. She changed back into a he and Kodachi became excited.  
"You know what this means darling!? We can have extra fun! When I'm done  
with one form, I can switch to the next!"  
  
"H-how did you know?" Ranma asked.  
  
"I didn't, but the voice inside me did," she answered, and Ranma  
was sorry he asked. She climbed back on top of him and ran her hands  
over his chest. "So manly... Make a woman out of me, Ranma-sama..."  
  
"Kodachi, I mmmmppphhh..." his words were cut off by a kiss.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, any ideas on how to get out of this?" Ukyo asked.  
  
"I'm afraid I am at a loss for a course of action," Kuno said.  
  
Akane growled. She had tried throwing a ki blast to hit the  
wall mounted flame-throwers, but they dissipated in the flames before  
reaching their targets. "Well, I think I could get out of here, but I'd  
have to leave you two behind."  
  
"Then you gotta go Akane-chan. Ranchan needs you." Ukyo inwardly  
winced. [I never though I'd hear myself say that...]  
  
"You sure you guys will be alright?"  
  
"Fair Akane-kun, when you find Saotome, you will find Kodachi,"  
Kuno answered. "When you find my sister, you will find the means to shut  
off the flame traps."  
  
"All right guys, I won't let you down." She turned toward a  
wall. "Moko Sumat-Su!" Akane's body burts into flame and she shot comet-  
like through the flames at high speeds and slammed through the wall like  
it wasn't even there.  
  
As soon as she left, the flame room began the rumble and the  
ground exploded with water, carrying the two people left behind up the  
geyser and through the roof of the house with Soun and Genma-panda.  
  
The four looked curiously at each other for a moment before the  
geyser split, sending them in different directions.  
  
  
  
  
  
Akane slammed through several more rooms before coming to a  
halt to assess her situation. Across the room was a bed and Kodachi was  
on it. She wasn't wearing much and Ranma was underneath her. And they  
were liplocked  
  
"RANMA!" she yelled, part in shock, disbelief, and anger.  
  
Kodachi broke off the kiss long enough for Ranma to yell,  
"Akane, it isn't what you think! You gotta help me!"  
  
Akane felt the old angry and jealous monster in her begin to  
rise, but it was countered by a new voice that said that Ranma loved  
her, so he couldn't be participating willingly. It was hard, but she  
managed to keep her emotions in check. It was Kodachi she should be mad  
at.  
  
"Oh, Tendo, would you mind leaving us alone," Kodachi asked. "We  
are on our honeymoon."  
  
"Get_off_my_fiance_you_BITCH!" Akane's voice started soft and  
ended with a bang, or more appropiately, a ki-blast. "Moko Takabisha!"  
The ki-ball slammed into the Black Rose and sent her tumbling off Ranma.  
  
"Whew, thanks Akane," Ranma said with much relief.  
  
Akane just snarled (at him or Kodachi he didn't know, but he  
kept quiet) and started after Kodachi, who was just regaining her feet.  
Since Akane was more angry than confident, the ki blast didn't do much  
actual damage.  
  
"Very well, Tendo." the Black Rose pronounced `Tendo' like it  
was something vile. "We shall settle this once and for all." She grabbed  
her ribbon and flicked it at Akane, who merely dodged.  
  
She followed it up with a razor hoop that Akane blasted out of  
the air, then continued her inexorable march forward. Kodachi attacked  
by tossing a few spiked clubs that the enraged Tendo caught by the  
handle and sent back at the madwoman, but that left her open to a ribbon  
strike that wound around her neck.  
  
Kodachi grinned. "I have you now!" She pushed a button on the  
handle and the metallic strips in the ribbon were charged with  
electricity.  
  
Akane screamed in pain, but her system was flooded with  
adrenaline by now and she merely dropped to her knees instead of  
succumbing totally. The battery in the handle ran out of juice and the  
shocks stopped. Akane grabbed the ribbon and yanked, pulling Kodachi  
foreword. She ripped off the rest of the ribbon and regained her feet.  
  
"Nothing you do will save you," Akane stated evenly.  
  
"We'll see about that. Attack of the Thousand Clubs!" Kodachi's  
hands blurred as she thrust multiple club strikes at her nemesis.  
  
"Tora Dokiken!"  
  
Akane sent her fists into the flurry, knocking away and  
destroying some clubs, then delivering a hyper punch into Kodachi's  
midsection, driving the wind out of her and forcing the mad woman to her  
knees. Akane delivered a powerful crane kick that snapped Kodachi's head  
up and sent her tumbling away, while the gold flames around Akane  
disappeared.  
  
[I can do it, I can beat her. I beat Shampoo and I can beat  
Kodachi. No more second-rate martial artist for me!] Akane's confidence  
soared as the Black Rose shakily regained her feet.  
  
"Ranma loves ME!" Akane yelled. "He will never love you! Nibai  
Moko Takabisha!"  
  
Both Ranma's and Kodachi's eyes widened as Akane sent two ki  
balls at her enemy. Kodachi barely dodged one, but caught the other full  
force. She screamed and went flying into a wall and into unconciousness,  
her clothes black and extra crispy. Akane stood still for a few seconds  
catching her breath, preparing to attack again if need be.  
  
"Uh, Akane, think you could get me out of this?" Ranma asked  
softly.  
  
She turned around to look at him, still attached to the bed.  
"Ranma!" She ran over to him and collapsed on top of his chest, sobbing  
gently.  
  
Ranma wished he had enough strength to wrap his arms around  
her. "It's okay, Akane, I'm here and I'm all right." She stopped crying  
and looked up at him, then began to kiss him passionately.  
  
"Akane?" he asked in between kisses.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Not that I'm not enjoying this, `cause I really am. But would  
you mind freeing me?"  
  
Akane jerked her head back with an embarassed look on her face.  
"Gomen Ranma, I..."  
  
He laughed. "It's okay. Just part of the `saving the person in  
distress' routine you'll have ta learn."  
  
She giggled and applied all her strength to each of the steel  
manacles, snapping them open. When she was done, she looked at him  
curiously. "They weren't that hard to break. Why couldn't you escape?"  
  
"Ah... well... I've been kinda drugged up and don't have much  
strength at the moment."  
  
Akane got an evil glint in her eye. "You mean I'll have to  
carry you out?"  
  
Ranma's eyes widened. "You wouldn't?" Her look said she would.  
"Akane, you can't! What if people see us!?"  
  
She frowned. "What? You afraid to be seen with me now?"  
  
"No Akane, that's not it! I mean, a girl shouldn't carry a guy,  
it's supposed to be the other way around!"  
  
She sighed and kissed him. "Saotome Ranma, I love you with all  
of my heart, but you are gonna have to learn to lose your ego." She  
scooped him up in her arms and he groaned.  
  
[Oh well, might as well enjoy this before someone sees us. It is  
kinda nice being this close to her.] Ranma wrapped his arms around his  
fiance as she walked out of the room.  
  
She took him downstairs and outside. Genma-panda, Soun, Ukyo,  
and Kuno were already out there, apparently preparing a second  
infiltration attempt. They stopped and stared as Akane happily carried  
an embarrassed Ranma out to them and set him down on the grass.  
  
"Akane, you found him!" Soun cried. "The union of our two houses  
is secure!"  
  
"Indeed, I knew that you would be successful," Kuno stated.  
"What news of my twisted sister?"  
  
"Oh, she's upstairs unconcious," Akane replied. "Take a left at  
the top of the staircase and head all the way down. It's the last door  
to your right."  
  
Kuno bowed. "My thanks." He left to go retrieve his sister.  
  
"Ranchan!" Ukyo exclaimed. "You all right?"  
  
"Yeah, Ucchan, I'm uh, just a little weak," he replied. When  
Ukyo looked confused he clarified. "From the drugs. Kodachi didn't want  
me goin' nowhere."  
  
She nodded. "Well, I just got off the phone with Nabiki. She'll  
have a couple cabs by to pick us up soon."  
  
Akane looked around. "Where are Kenji, Yuri, and Selah?"  
  
"Right here Akane-chan!" Yuri called, leading Selah and a small  
wolf out the front door. Selah looked a little shook up, but was trying  
her best not to show it. "Is everyone all right?"  
  
"Yeah. Ranma's a little weak and I'm a little exhausted from the  
fight, but nothing major. How about you?"  
  
Yuri stretched her arms. "We're all a little sore from having a  
ton of dirt dropped us, but I think we'll live."  
  
Kuno soon emerged from the house as well, carrying his still  
unconcious sister wrapped in a blanket to preserve her modesty, what was  
left of it anyway. What was most surprising, was that Sasuke was  
following him. When asked, he replied that he found the ninja after  
hearing sounds calling from inside a wall in the room he found Kodachi  
in. Both Ranma and Akane were apparently so caught up in themselves,  
they didn't hear him.  
  
Kenji-ookami growled menacingly at the bundle Tatewaki carried,  
and Kuno barely managed to twist his sister out of the way to avoid the  
attempted bite.  
  
"What be the matter with thee?" Kuno asked, surprised.  
  
"Uh oh, I don't think he's too happy about having a load of dirt  
dropped on him," Yuri replied, stepping between her lupine brother and  
Kuno. "Calm down, `nichan."  
  
Ukyo stepped up next to her, her battle spatula in a ready  
position. "It's over, don't make me use this."  
  
Kenji glanced back and forth between the two women, then  
snorted and turned back around. It was clear that he hadn't totally  
given up, but the two women were satisfied for now.  
  
By this time, the cabs had arrived and the mixed group piled  
inside, heading for home.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hikaru was miserable.  
  
This wasn't an unknown feeling to him; he'd been miserable most  
of his life. But this time he was miserable in a girl's body. He always  
wanted to know more about women, but he thought this was taking it a bit  
too far. Going to the bathroom had been an experience that he would  
rather forget. He would've taken a bit more pleasure in looking at his  
new body if it wasn't attached to him. Ariko had been trying to teach  
him how to act and what to expect.  
  
He sighed. She was taking this far better than he was.  
  
Ariko was a becoming worried. Hikaru was obviously depressed,  
albeit more than normal. Of course, he had perked up some when they  
discussed magic, but went back to being depressed afterward. She  
considered the whole body swapping thing a learning experience and was  
discovering what it meant to be male.  
  
She sighed. There was something she had wanted to tell Hikaru  
for awhile now, since she knew he would be experiencing it soon.  
  
"Hi-chan?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"There's something I need to warn you about that happens to a  
woman once a month..." She went into explaining the condensed version.  
  
Gos stared at her for a second, then passed out. Lucky thing  
Miyo had let them stay at her place until their conditions could be  
reversed. Ariko's parents were away for a couple of weeks on business,  
and Hikaru's didn't seem to worry or care much about his activities.  
  
He was waking up again and asked what happened. She told him  
again. He passed out again. She sighed again.  
  
This wasn't going to be easy. 


	5. Chapter 5

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
  
  
Bright and early the next morning, at the Tendo household, the  
day began as normal. Ranma had his strength back and was feeling great.  
Akane had Ranma back and was feeling even better.  
  
Well, that and they were leaving on their training trip today  
was another reason she was excited. They had packed the day before, so  
they could head out after breakfast. Ranma had said that the place they  
were going to was pretty far away, but was perfect for all the stuff he  
wanted to train her in.  
  
Akane was in her room, packing a few last essentials when  
Nabiki entered. She went to her little sister's bed and sat down,  
watching Akane move around her room. Avert enduring her sister's probing  
gaze for several minutes, Akane couldn't take it any longer.  
  
"What is it, Nabiki?" Akane asked with a bit more anger than she  
wanted.  
  
"I'm trying to decide how long it'll take."  
  
Akane did a double take. "What do you mean?"  
  
Nabiki smirked. "I mean, which night do you think you'll seduce  
him?"  
  
Akane's face would now make an excellent match with onna-  
Ranma's hair. "NANI!?"  
  
"Oh come on, sis. You and him, all alone, cuddling in the same  
tent. That boy is way too honorable to do anything on his own, so if  
anything happens, you'll have to initiate it."  
  
Akane scowled. "Yeah, IF. We're going to train, Nabiki and  
we'll have seperate tents! With all the crazy things that happen around  
here, we need to be better prepared to handle it, me especially." She  
added that last part reluctantly.  
  
Nabiki watched as Akane turned away partially to glance out the  
window, her attention now somewhere else as she continued in a softer  
voice. "It was my fault that I nearly died at Jusendo. If I was a better  
martial artist, I could've avoided that. If I could've beat Kima, then  
she wouldn't have been able to use my form to trick Ranma." She sighed,  
her eyes returning to the present. "Just because some of our problems  
are gone, doesn't mean new ones won't show up. Plus," she smiled, "we  
could use the vacation."  
  
Nabiki stood up and looked at her sister appraisingly. "I'm  
impressed sis, you have grown up. But just in case," she walked over to  
Akane's pack and produced a small box. Akane's eyes widened in shock as  
she realized what they were. She watched Nabiki place the small box of  
condoms in one of her pack's pouches.  
  
"Just in case," she repeated, smiling, then winked and left.  
  
Akane went to remove them, but stopped and shrugged instead.  
She shouldered her pack, walked downstairs, and took note of her family  
waiting for her. She took turns hugging them all.  
  
"Take care Akane-chan," Kasumi said, then whispered in her ear.  
"And I've started on that special project for you." Akane replied her  
thanks and moved on.  
  
She tried to hug Nabiki, but was stopped. "Not in public, sis.  
I have a reputation to keep." Akane ignored her and wrapped her in a big  
bear hug over the older sister's protests.  
  
"And don't think of charging me for that, `cause I'll pay you  
back in the dojo," Akane threatened. Nabiki closed her mouth, then  
giggled.  
  
"My little girl is going out into the world, alone," Soun  
wailed, but nowhere near the crying he used to do.  
  
"Daddy! I won't be alone. Ranma will be with me and I can take  
care of myself!" She pried herself from her father's iron grip.  
  
"Have a good time, my future daughter-in-law," Nodoka said,  
embracing Akane. She also whispered in her ear, "And I'm trusting you to  
make sure my son acts manly."  
  
Akane blushed, then whispered back in the affirmative. When she  
got to Genma, he stuck out his hand. Apparently, he'd rather have a  
handshake than a hug. Akane felt the same way and took his hand. Before  
he could say anything, she twisted and flipped him into the pond with a  
move that would make a judo master proud.  
  
The family got a laugh out of that and Akane stepped up to  
Ranma. "Ready to go?"  
  
Ranma noticed something for the first time. Yesterday he was  
too concerned about other matters, but today he realized something:  
Akane was dressing different. Yesterday she was wearing one of his blue  
Chinese shirts and today it was one of his red ones. As they left the  
house and began hopping rooftops, he asked her about it.  
  
She smiled. "Remember what you said awhile ago when I asked why  
you wore this stuff? You said it was because you wear what's comfortable  
when you have to fight, and you have to fight almost all the time. So I  
decided to see for myself. Most of the time I'm wearing some type of  
dress when fighting breaks out, so I've decided to start wearing casual  
outfits I can fight in if needed. Plus, wearing your clothes might help  
me understand you better."  
  
"Well, don't expect me to understand you. Ain't no way I'm gonna  
wear your clothes."  
  
Akane giggled at the image of Ranma in one of her dresses. "But  
you'd look so cute in them, Ranma-chan!"  
  
He frowned. "That's not what I meant. They wouldn't fit me  
since they'd be too tight in the chest and too loose around the  
waist..."  
  
Akane growled. "Ranma!"  
  
He laughed at her as she chased him across the roofs of Nerima.  
She wasn't really angry at him. Well, okay a little. But she had learned  
that he would still say stupid stuff from time to time and she should  
just deal with it. Of course, `dealing with it' usually meant some type  
of punishment.  
  
By the time they arrived at the train station, she was out of  
breath however, and couldn't do much. She looked up to see him grinning  
at her.  
  
"No bad, you almost caught me," he said. "Not bad for your first  
day of training."  
  
"First day? I thought we were going to start tomorrow?"  
  
He shook his head. "You're playing my game now, and your  
training started this morning. From now on, you do as I say." She  
groaned and he moved closer. "By the way, I really meant that you'd  
never get me to wear your dresses, since you look cuter in them than I  
would."  
  
"Baka. You said that just to motivate me."  
  
He nodded and grinned. "Yep. One of your main problems is you  
get mad too easily. During a serious fight, an opponent can use that  
against ya. Why do ya think I taunt Ryoga? Once he gets mad, he starts  
ta get sloppy." He looked up as the boarding call was annouced. "Time to  
get on the train. Let's go."  
  
  
  
  
  
Three stops and 60 minutes saw them deposited at their drop-off  
point. Ranma told her, from here on out it was a vigorous climb and she  
could turn back if she wanted out. She stuck her tongue out at him and  
began the climb ahead of him.  
  
Five hours later, she was struggling to keep up with Ranma who,  
seemingly was still in perfect form while she was getting tired and her  
feet her starting to hurt. Thankfully, Ranma called a break and they  
broke out the lunch Kasumi had packed for them. Akane was surprised when  
Ranma removed her shoes and began to massage her feet.  
  
"Mmmmmm, that feels so good," she moaned in pleasure. "Where did  
you learn to do that?"  
  
He shrugged. "Picked it up at one of the many dojo's we went  
around to, don't remember which one. It helped quite a lot with all the  
travelin' me and pop did." He finished up by pressing a few points on  
her heels. "And that I learned from Tofu-sensei."  
  
Akane put her hiking shoes back on and stood. She was surprised  
at how good her feet felt. They still hurt a bit, but the pain was  
anulled for the most part. Ranma began to move off and Akane ran to  
catch up with him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sometime in the afternoon, Ranma annouced they had arrived.  
Akane moved beside him, plopped herself down on a fallen log, and took a  
look around.  
  
It was a small clearing in the forest. The sound of running  
water could be heard nearby, and a rocky cliff face could be seen in the  
distance. Birds could be heard singing, and the whole place gave an  
impression of... serenity.  
  
"It's beautiful," she said.  
  
He nodded and removed his pack. "I discovered this place  
shortly before me and pop left for China. We actually camped somewhere  
farther off, but I came here to meditate and practice by myself. I never  
told him about it, since pop never did go for meditatin'. He always  
thought the Art was something physical. Lately, I've seen that it's more  
than that."  
  
Ever since she had let down her guard and let herself love him,  
she was surprised more and more with what made up Ranma. His admission  
of how nice it was to have a home, the foot massaging thing, and now  
this. Who knew Ranma meditated?  
  
"Well, let's get camp set up," he said while dropping his pack  
and removing the tent.  
  
Akane put her pack down. "You set up camp, I'm going to take a  
bath. You may be fine, but I feel dirty and sweaty."  
  
He laughed. "Consider yourself lucky, me and pop used to go for  
weeks without bathing. Here, you've got a waterful fed stream and a hot  
spring."  
  
"There's a hot spring near here?"  
  
He nodded and pointed. "Straight through those trees if I  
remember correctly." Akane gathered up some supplies and began to walk  
toward the waterfall. "Scream if you need help."  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him. "And no peeking!" she called  
as she disappeared into the forest.  
  
Ranma laughed to himself and finished setting up his tent. He  
looked at Akane's pack and decided to set hers up, too.  
  
As he searched her backpack, he realized she didn't have a  
tent. [Our fathers must've removed it somehow. They figure that we'll  
share and tent and do... that. Ha! As if I'd do anything like that with  
that sexless tom...] He stopped himself. [Well, I can't exactly say that  
anymore. She is cute and... sexy?] He stopped and thought about it.  
[Yeah, she is. But nothing like that'll happen. Heck, I don't even know  
if I want it happen. Or maybe I do. If Akane hadn't gotten there in  
time, Kodachi would've...]  
  
He shuddered at the thought. [I'll think about this later.  
Right now, I need to catch dinner.]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When Akane returned from soaking in the hot springs, she found  
Ranma cooking something over a fire. She frowned when she saw that only  
his tent was up. [Darn, I thought he'd set up mine, too. Oh well,  
probably part of the training.]  
  
"What are you cooking?" she asked, going through her pack.  
  
"Rabbit." He frowned when he saw her go through her pack. "Our  
dad's must've removed your tent."  
  
Akane scowled. "You're right. Oh well, at least your tent is  
big enough for both of us." [I guess it won't be so bad.] She glanced  
over at him to see him studying the meal. She sighed.  
  
They ate the meal in silence and turned in. Despite being  
nervous at their closeness, they eventually went to sleep in their own  
sleeping bags.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Akane, you're falling behind!" onna-Ranma taunted.  
  
Akane only gritted her teeth and tried to keep up with the  
bounding redhead. They were both wearing heavy mesh weights strapped on  
their legs, arms, and body, yet Ranma was moving from the ground to the  
tree tops and back again as if they weren't there.  
  
"I'll get you, Ranma!" she shouted back and increased her speed.  
After a couple more minutes, Ranma suddenly turned on her and attacked.  
"What are you doing!?"  
  
Onna-Ranma said nothing as she struck out with various kicks  
and punches. Akane could tell they weren't at full speed or strength,  
but still were moving very fast, though the actual contacts were little  
more than light taps. She could just barely block or dodge one, when the  
next one came flying at her.  
  
"Come on, Akane, attack back!" Ranma scolded. "If ya stay on the  
defensive, you let your enemy attack with a major offensive. Sooner or  
later, you're gonna lose."  
  
Akane growled. [He's right. But how do I attack when I can  
barely defend myself? I'll have to take some hits to break his rhythm.]  
  
She timed her attack. Letting a punch slip through and strike  
her shoulder, then lanced out with her counterpunch. He dodged, but that  
was okay since it was only a feint. The real attack, a side-kick, did  
connect, albeit with less force than she would've wanted.  
  
The match continued a bit more evenly for a few more minutes  
after that, when Ranma called a halt. Akane saw the look on him that  
told her he was going over something in his mind. She waited a few  
minutes until he was ready to talk.  
  
"Akane," he began. "I've been thinkin' `bout some things. You  
know I don't like to hurt you, but if I`m really gonna be your sensei,  
then I have ta do some things that will hurt you a lot. It's the only  
way you'll advance in the Art as much as me. This ain't gonna to be the  
kind of light trainin' you did with your father. If we take this hard  
path, you'll advance faster than if I just trained ya lightly this week.  
So you have to decide if you wanna go ahead and take the pain."  
  
Akane stood there for a few seconds. Inwardly, she did want to  
be as good as Ranma, but she had heard of all the things Ranma and his  
father had done on their training trips and wondered if she was up to  
it. In short, was she willing to what it took to perfect her skills? She  
smiled, knowing what the answer was.  
  
"Yes, I want to go for it. Not only because I'm an heir to the  
Musabetsu Kakuto, but for me. Martial arts are as much a part of my life  
as they are for you."  
  
Onna-Ranma nodded slowly. "Okay, then I will fight you all out.  
It ain't gonna be fun and it ain't gonna be pretty, but it'll toughen  
your endurance and tighten your defense. Also, from now on you wear  
those weights. You'll sleep with them, eat with them, and take a bath  
with them. You can remove them at the end of the week, or when we decide  
to head back." Akane gulped. "For now, you chase me again and be waitin'  
for an attack from any angle." The redhead leaped up into the trees  
without waiting for a reply.  
  
Akane groaned and took off after him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sometime later, a tired and bruised Akane made her way back to  
the campsite. Onna-Ranma was already there, going through a kata.  
  
Several times during their chase, Ramnahad seemingly  
disappeared and attacked her. Near the end of the session, Akane was  
starting to sense her fiance's motions and could almost tell from what  
side her next attack would come from. Then the redhead told her to meet  
her at camp and disappeared again.  
  
A half-an-hour later, Akane managed to find the site.  
  
"Feeling tired?" Ranma asked as the raven-haired girl plopped  
down on the ground and nodded in reply. "Well, this next exercise won't  
require you to move much, so you have some time to recover. Now sit up  
and close your eyes. Take a few minutes to listen to the world around  
you. Extend your ki."  
  
She did so. She heard the running water, the birds singing, the  
wind in the trees. She felt the warmth of the sun on her skin. She  
sensed movement and instinctively brought her hand up. When she opened  
her eyes, she was holding Ranma's fist, which was a punch aimed for her  
face.  
  
She blinked, several times, startled at what she had just done.  
  
"Not bad," Ranma commended. "But I was going slow. Now, close  
your eyes and do it again. I'm going to move around and I want you to  
follow my movements based on the sounds and senses you feel."  
  
For rest of the day, Ranma continued to drill her student in  
the use of her aura and ki to feel out her surroundings. She would move  
around as silently as possible and Akane would move to him with her eyes  
closed. Eventually, Ranma would intermittently spring attacks on her and  
she would dodge or block, again with her eyes closed.  
  
She was successful about half the time.  
  
When night fell, she endured another sparring session in the  
darkness. Or rather, it was a beating session. Ranma seemed to come at  
her from all angles and it was all she could do to fend him off. Once  
she calmed down some and extended her senses, she was able to partially  
detect her sensei's aura with her own. Dodging became a whole lot  
easier.  
  
They turned in some time later with Akane hitting her sleeping  
bag and falling asleep almost immediately due to exhaustion. Ranma  
stayed awake for awhile watching her before he too let sleep claim him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Elsewhere, another couple was training.  
  
"Bakusai Tenketsu Ha!"  
  
Ryoga hit the ground with a finger and watched in satisfaction  
as the ground exploded. A split second afterward, another patch of  
ground exploded, then another, and another. He frowned.  
  
"Cool!" Akari exclaimed from the sidelines. Then she noticed his  
frown. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It didn't turn out so well," Ryoga said. "I'm tryin' to start a  
line of explosions but I have trouble getting them to go where I want  
them to. The line of ki I send out through the ground goes off course."  
  
Akari cocked her head, not really understanding. "You'll get it  
eventually."  
  
Ryoga sighed. "You don't understand, I need to develop some  
more moves to compensate for the lack of my Shishi Houkodan."  
  
She frowned. "That's your depression thingy, right?"  
  
"Yeah. But since I've been staying with you, I'm not as  
depressed as I used to be, so it's not as strong as before."  
  
Akari thought for a second. "You said Ranma modified it by  
using a different emotion. Why can't you do the same thing?"  
  
"That was my thought, but I don't know what emotion to use. I  
haven't really had any emotion become strong enough that I could rely  
on."  
  
She jumped down from Katsunishki's back and walked over to him.  
"You'll find one, I'm sure of it!" She wrapped her arms around him and  
kissed him.  
  
Ryoga was stunned for a second, then slowly tried to return the  
kiss. Normally he would've passed out, but Akari had given him an old  
Unyru family remedy that seemed to calm him some. He was still nervous,  
but she was understanding and didn't pressure him with more than he was  
comfortable with. She broke off the kiss.  
  
"So, you ready to do some more exercises?" Ryoga asked.  
  
Akari nodded vigorously. Ryoga was surprised at how well she  
could defend herself. Of course, she was the one who trained  
Katsunishki, so he shouldn't have been too surprised. She knew a bunch  
of holds and throws and ways to toss her opponent off balance, but she  
wasn't very fast. She was stronger than a normal girl her age, but not  
as strong as Akane or Shampoo.  
  
For her part, Akari thought it was great. The more she learned,  
the more she could teach her sumo pigs and the better they'd do.  
  
Ryoga was still thinking about what emotion he could use as  
they headed back to the farm that evening. As he rode atop the giant  
sumo pig his arms crept nervously around the girl in front of him. The  
girl who, byond his ability to comprehend, loved him.  
  
While most of his emotions were in flux, he was able to  
identify one particular feeling that had long been absent from his life.  
  
He was actually starting to feel happy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"This better be good, Kuno-baby," Nabiki huffed.  
  
"Indeed, I think you shall find it worth your while, Nabiki-  
kun," Kuno replied, throwing another board out of the way.  
  
They were in the remains of the Kuno mansion, and Tatewaki was  
currently digging in a certain spot, trying to find the entrance to the  
basement. Whatever was too big to move, was sliced up via Kuno's bokken.  
  
Nabiki wouldn't admit it, but she was very curious about what  
secrets this basement of his held. She also wanted to know what was with  
the sword tricks he pulled on that night with they fought Galfgar. So  
far, he had been tight lipped about it, but Nabiki would lay odds Kuno  
didn't have much of a clue either.  
  
So, here they were. Hoping to find the answers in this basement  
room if the ruined Kuno mansion.  
  
Kuno stopped. "I believe the term is, `paydirt'."  
  
Nabiki hopped down off the rock she had been sitting on and  
walked over to him. Looking down, she saw a small stone staircase that  
spiraled downward into darkness. Without another word, Kuno brought out  
a flashlight and started down with Nabiki hesitantly going following.  
  
By the time they had reached the bottom, Nabiki estimated they  
were five stories underground. The air had turned into something quite  
unpleasant, and was laden with moisture. Despite that, Nabiki felt her  
mouth go dry. Kuno flashed the light down the stone hallway, revealing  
many a musty cobweb and cracked stone blocks.  
  
"Something tells me nobody's been down here in awhile," Nabiki  
half-joked.  
  
Tatewaki nodded. "This area wasn't very important to a family  
without it's right mind." He gestured down the hallway. "Well, shall we  
continue on?"  
  
Nabiki replied in the affirmative and they continued on,  
eventually reaching a small steel door at the end of the hallway. Kuno  
handed the flashlight to Nabiki and turned his attention to the door.  
Finding the handle, he grabbed ahold and pulled. It didn't budge.  
  
The kendoist frowned and Nabiki smirked. He placed both hands  
on the handle and pulled again. Their was a small creaking sound, but  
the door remained closed.  
  
"Don't strain yourself," Nabiki joked.  
  
Tatewaki merely grunted, took a deep breath, and tried again.  
Putting all his strength into it and bracing a foot against the door  
jam, he yanked hard and was rewarded when the door whined as it slowly  
opened. He stopped when it became wide enough for a single person to  
pass through.  
  
"After you, milady," he intoned.  
  
Nabiki hesitated for a second. She wasn't scared, no of course  
she wasn't. But still... "That's okay, Kuno-baby," she replied, handing  
him the flashlight "It's your house."  
  
The barest hint of a smile graced his face. "Very well."  
  
He stepped into the room beyond with some trepidation, but  
quashed any hesitations as unbecoming a samurai, even a dishonored one.  
Shining the flashlight around revealed a couple of dusty bookcases and a  
pair of equally dusty tables between them. Obviously, this room had not  
seen human life in many decades, perhaps a century or more.  
  
"Whoa, talk about your family secrets," Nabiki whispered from  
behind. She walked over to a shelf and apparently selected a book at  
random. Pulling the large tome off the shelf, she set it on the table  
and opened it up, flipping through the pages. "Judging by the content in  
this one, there's a virtual treasure trove of information here. It's  
gonna take quite awhile to sift through it all. I suggest we get a few  
others to help."  
  
Kuno walked up behind her to glance at the book. "I do not  
think that's such a good idea. These are Kuno family secrets and..."  
  
Nabiki cut him off. "Oh stuff it, Kuno-baby. I'd say the fact  
that a demon was being kept in your house gives justifiable cause for  
others to know what's going on here. Forewarned is forearmed and I'd  
wager there's important info in here that needs to be known." She looked  
up at him to see his frowning face. "Don't worry, the only ones who will  
look through this will be ones who can keep secrets, I'll make sure of  
that."  
  
He sighed and conceded the point. "Very well, but I suggest we  
move these books out before the mansion is rebuilt."  
  
"Of course," she replied while closing the book and selecting  
two more. "Come on, you can carry these for me." She took the flashlight  
and Kuno grumbled as he picked up the three books. As she followed him  
out, she noticed for the first time he was carrying his katana strapped  
to his side. "Say, is that the same katana you used against Galfgar?"  
  
"Indeed."  
  
Intrigued, she decided to probe for more info. "So what's the  
story behind that and the lightning show you put on?"  
  
Tatewaki was silent for a few moments, as if debating what to  
tell her. In the end, he decided he might as well be truthful since he  
needed her help. "It's name is Raijin, and it's the Kuno family blade.  
Legend says it was forged eons ago to be the Kuno family guardian and  
only one of the Kuno family can wield it." He looked down. "I did not  
know what it's powers were until that night. I do not know how I knew to  
do those miraculous feats, nor how to repeat them; the sword has  
remained silent since that night."  
  
Nabiki tapped her chin with her finger. "Interesting. Well,  
maybe one of the books has the info..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Late that night, under the cover of darkness, a small boat  
pulled up onto the shores of Japan and two small figures disembarked.  
They glanced at their guide who landed beside them. On of the small  
figures produced a hot water thermos and used it on their guide. After  
pulling their boat up on shore and hiding and securing it, the trio  
headed inland.  
  
They had a mission and they were going to complete it at all  
cost.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Further north, another, larger ship was pulling into Tokyo  
Harbor. Several figures carrying backpacks and supplies jumped from the  
ship to dry land. They gathered around an older woman perched on a  
staff. After making sure that all seventy of her warriors were there,  
they headed off into the night as well.  
  
For they too had a mission they were going to complete at all  
cost.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Somewhere else, two girls had fought and conquered yet another  
dojo. They left the sign that was theirs by custom, taking only some  
food with them instead. To the duo, improving their skills was the only  
reason they fought, but food was a good secondary motivator. The older  
sister was especially driven to become better because there was a  
certain dojo they would claim once they could finally beat the current  
champions.  
  
She held her rugbeater staff and glanced at her younger sister  
who had replaced the ribbon in her hair and was now stuffing her face  
with some fish cakes.  
  
"Where to now, oneechan?" she asked.  
  
The older sister looked to the horizon. "I think it's finally  
time to pay some old friends a visit. It's time to test our skills."  
  
The younger sister jumped up and down. "You mean we get to see  
Akane-chan again?" The older one nodded. "Yipppppeeee!"  
  
As her youthful sibling skipped down the road, Natsume grinned  
to herself and started after Kurumi.  
  
  
  
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's notes:  
They're baaaaaaaack! Not only Natsume and Kurumi, but some other old  
friends as well! 


	6. Chapter 6

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 6  
  
  
  
  
  
"I still don't see why I had to come," Akara complained. She  
glared at the man with her. [Pervert.]  
  
Tenma shrugged and muttered quietly. "I don't see why I have to  
put up your macho attitude either. [She's done nothing but complain, get  
angry and blame me for everything. What a tomboy.]  
  
"What was that?" she demanded.  
  
Tenma sighed. "Nothing." He really didn't want to get into  
another argument. He absently rubbed his jaw where she had socked him.  
[Like I meant to walk in on her when she was bathing in that stream. I  
didn't think anyone was there and I needed a bath, too. So she got a  
good look at me, as well.] A slight smile crossed his face, as the scene  
of Akara stepping out of the stream flitted through his mind.  
[Kawaii...]  
  
He shook his head and focused once more on the mission.  
  
Apparently, Senshin had made intial overtures with a ninja clan  
and he needed a couple of strong people to meet them in person and  
hopefully convince them to join the cause. That would explain Akara's  
presence. Despite her attitude, she was a formidable fighter.  
  
Tenma's battle senses suddenly went on alert and he froze.  
Akara stopped behind him and had the good sense (for once) to not say  
anything. Maybe she sensed it, too.  
  
Tenma extended his ki. "I count six figures surrounding us," he  
whispered.  
  
She nodded. "What do we do?"  
  
Tenma went through several plans in his head. "If we stay, they  
get the drop on us. On the count of three, follow me." Surprisingly, she  
didn't argue.  
  
He counted down, then as one they sprinted at high speed,  
eventually taking to the trees. Continuing to sense the figures, he  
noted them mirroring their movements, so he sprung off the trunk of a  
particularly large tree, sending his body crashing into one of their  
pursuers. Akara mirrored it slightly, barreling into a second opponent,  
grabbing his arm, and flipping him into the ground.  
  
By the time the others figured out what changed, two of their  
number were taken out of the action. They converged on the now still  
targets.  
  
Tenma swore as the projectiles came at him. He dodged the first  
few, then caught the rest. [Shuriken?] He had no more time to ponder  
this, as the enemy was upon them.  
  
It was four on two, but to Tenma, the skill level of his all-  
black clad opponents wasn't a concern. He was more worried for Akara.  
While pretty good herself, she could be easily distracted in a melee  
fight. He slammed his current opponent to the ground and thrust downward  
with an iron-palm strike, taking the man out of action.  
  
To his side, Akara was hard pressed against the two enemies  
that took turns attacking her. They're actions were continually backing  
her up. [They're herding me.] She growled. [No way they're gonna make me  
play their game!]  
  
She stepped forward into the next attack, a slice of a katana  
blade. Ducking under it, she came up inside the surprised man's defenses  
and unleashed a powerful series of punches and kicks to various vital  
points. The black clad opponent stood stunned for a second before she  
threw him into a nearby tree.  
  
She instinctively backed up just in time to avoid a flight of  
shuriken that whizzed by in front of her. Feeling something, she glanced  
down and was a bit miffed that a couple of shuriken had grazed her  
stomach, slashing open the cloth across her belly.  
  
She screamed and lunged for her attacker who stepped out of the  
way, bringing the butt-end of his katana down on her head. Akara went  
down and rolled, dodging the foot aimed for her back. She grabbed it and  
pulled, bringing the man off balance while she did a quick handstand  
that let her foot impact his jaw. As his head snapped up, she came to  
her feet.  
  
It didn't take much to finish him.  
  
Akara turned to see Tenma clapping with a big grin on his face.  
"What?"  
  
He shrugged. "Nothin'. Not bad, but I kinda feel sorry for the  
guy."  
  
"As am I."  
  
Tenma froze. [I didn't sense the new figure. Why? It was a  
female voice. Why didn't I detect her?]  
  
The voice anticipated his question. "You're good, but you don't  
sense me because I'm not a threat. I was merely watching while my  
students tested you."  
  
"Well, come on down and we'll finish the lesson!" Akara  
challenged.  
  
"That won't be necessary," she said. "You passed."  
  
"You're from the ninja clan, Garou," Tenma said flatly.  
  
An obviously female figure in black ninja garb emerged from the  
shadow of a tree and removed her mask, her medium length, jet black hair  
spilling out in a pony tail. She bowed. "It is a pleasure to greet the  
emissaries of the army of Tendo Senshin. I am called Kae. May I ask your  
names?"  
  
Tenma bowed. "I am Saotome Tenma, trained by Sensei Satsu."  
  
At a glance from Tenma, Akara also bowed, albiet with less  
enthusiam. "I am Tendo Akara, daughter of Senshin."  
  
Kae nodded. "Very well. Come with me and I'll take you to our  
clan elders." She clapped her hands and several more figures appeared  
out of thin air, picked up their unconcious comrades, and disappeared  
again.  
  
The pair began to follow Kae deeper into the forest.  
  
  
  
  
  
Miyo groaned. Again, another part of the dream, but still  
nothing about it made sense! She hadn't figured out yet if it had  
happened for real, or if it was some sort of vision. If it was real, the  
clothes and mannerisms told her it had happened long ago; several  
hundred years at least.  
  
She glanced at the clock. The red, digital readout placed her  
at 7:00 am. [Well, I might as well get up. Maybe I can do some research  
in mom's old library.]  
  
The young fortune-teller rolled out of bed and prepare to face  
the day.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma awoke Akane the next morning with a bucket of cold water.  
Naturally, that enraged the Tendo girl enough to come at Ranma with  
everything she had. She even yelled her famous battle cry of "RANMA NO  
BAKA!"  
  
After several minutes of heavy combat, er, sparring, Ranma  
tossed Akane to the ground. She jumped back up and charged him, ending  
back on the ground again. She tried this five more times before  
growling, giving up and going back to the tent to change. When she re-  
emerged again, she found Ranma cooking breakfast.  
  
"Alright Ranma, you've got one minute to explain yourself," she  
growled.  
  
"Weren't expectin' an attack while you were asleep, eh?" he  
asked, slightly amused.  
  
"Of course not!" she yelled. Then it hit her. "Uh, I suppose  
this is another lesson in anticipating an attack?"  
  
He nodded. "That's how Oyaji woke me up every mornin' on the  
road. After awhile, my body tuned in to the warnings of an attack and  
I'd spring awake at the first signs of danger." He looked up at her. "I  
won't do that again, since their are other ways of training you in that.  
I just wanted to let you know if I was a serious attacker, you could be  
dead now."  
  
She shivered at the thought. "You always think that death is  
waiting around the corner? How can you live like that?"  
  
He shrugged. "Well, not really. But living on the road with  
Oyaji proved kinda... hazardous, especially with his knack for stealin'  
and tickin' off the people we came across. But don't worry, after awhile  
it just becomes instinct. It doesn't work all the time, but enough that  
you survive. How do ya think I avoided all those times I was ambushed by  
Ryoga and Mousse?"  
  
She decided to changing the subject. "So, what's on the  
schedule for today?"  
  
He handed her some of the fish that was cooking and they ate.  
"We need to get your speed up more. All your strength is nothing if you  
can't land a single punch."  
  
"But I hit you several times yesterday," she retorted.  
  
He shook his head. "I wasn't moving at full speed. I wanted you  
to land some attacks. You're a force to be reckoned with once you use  
that Tiger's Wrath trick, but you have to learn to fight without it. You  
can't rely on it, since there will be times when you need to save your  
ki for later."  
  
"So more jumping around and chasing you, huh?" Akane sighed. She  
glanced at the weights still strapped to her arms. After yesterday, they  
almost felt like they were a part of her. Almost.  
  
"Yeah, but there's something I want you to work on first."  
  
They finished breakfast and Ranma led her to a tree. He carved  
a small square on it with a knife, then stepped back.  
  
"Okay, we're gonna work on your punches," he stated. "I want you  
to start punching inside that square as fast as you can. Don't worry  
about power, since I know you can destroy this tree. " She stepped up.  
"Okay, go for it."  
  
She lanced out with her fists, trying to put as much speed into  
her actions as she could. At first, she was putting small impact points  
in the trunk and Ranma had to remind her to lighten up the power. Soon,  
she was barely touching the trunk before withdrawing her hand and  
lancing it foreward again.  
  
"That's better," he said. "Keep it up. I'm going to leave you  
alone for awhile so I can work on some stuff I've been meaning to do.  
Don't stop or slow down until I come back!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Kasumi was humming to herself as she walked back to the dojo  
from the supermarket. She smiled and greeted each person she came across  
and they happily returned the favor. After all, everybody liked Kasumi  
and Kasumi liked everybody.  
  
She glanced up at the clear blue sky. "It's going to be a  
wonderful day," she said to herself. "I should be able to get some  
laundry done, and then maybe go on a walk with Tofu." She giggled  
lightly. Tofu was always so funny and made her laugh. Lately, he'd been  
a bit more serious, but that was okay.  
  
She turned a corner and the Tendo estate came into view. Yes,  
it was going to be a wonderful day.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
If Kasumi detected the two people tailing her, she gave no  
sign. They were under orders not to attack, but to find the target and  
they believed they could do that by following this person. Sure enough,  
she led them straight to the dojo. They leapt to the top of a nearby  
building to talk.  
  
"This is the place?" asked the first one.  
  
"Yep, I'm sure of it." replied the second one. "The Tendo Dojo."  
  
"So this is where the target lives..." said #1. "Can we attempt  
an extract?"  
  
#2 shook her head. "No, too many people and we were warned the  
target was very dangerous and armed with our techniques. Our mission is  
a simple find and report."  
  
#1 shrugged. "Well, we found the dwelling, but I don't see  
anyone matching the description inside. I suggest we go report and then  
stake the place out."  
  
#2 agreed and the two women leapt away.  
  
  
  
  
  
Out of a nearby shadow another figure, an old man, appeared. He  
stroked his white goatee thoughtfully as he watched the fleeing forms of  
the two women.  
  
He frowned. [What are they doing here? They should be back in  
China. The event is not yet upon us, though I feel it is close. But from  
what I've heard, they might not be any help to us this time around.] He  
cocked his head. [Then again... Maybe one of the others might know why  
they're here. I'll go ask my two pupils.]  
  
The old sensei left to find his two students.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Brother dear?" Kodachi croaked.  
  
"Yes my sister, I am here," Tatewaki moved to her side as she  
lay in a mental hospital bed. Her injuries had been treated and Kuno  
thought it best for her to be committed until she returned to a sane  
mind.  
  
"I feel bad, Tatchi," she said in a weak voice. "I think I did  
some bad things, but I don't know what." She grasped her head. "No! Why  
do I have to listen to you! Shut up!... No, you only bring me pain!"  
  
Tatewaki grabbed his sister's hand. As near as he could figure,  
Galfgar must have left some sort of post-hypnotic suggestion in her head  
that acted as another voice, one that was once again trying to take  
over. "Fight it, Dachi! You are stronger than this!"  
  
She screamed out in pain and Kuno stood back as the doctors  
stepped forward and administered a seditive. She soon stopped thrashing  
and crying, settling into a deep sleep.  
  
As the doctors left, Kuno sighed. This was not going to be  
easy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki sat back and stretched, hoping the mess before her would  
clear away as easily as the crinks in her back. Oddly, they hadn't by  
the time she took another look at them.  
  
Sitting on her desk were various ledgers and financial  
information, and on her computer was even more data. All of it was Kuno  
family investment reports, and most of it stank. If she was right, there  
were untold number of people embezzling money from the companies the  
Kuno family owned. That, and some of their business practices were  
decidely immoral.  
  
If she wanted to clean up this wide spread corruption, she had  
her work cut out for her. Her line of thought was broken, however, by a  
tapping on her window. She opened it and in popped a duck.  
  
A duck with glasses.  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Mousse?"  
  
The duck quacked and nodded. He also pulled out a robe and a  
kettle of hot water from his wings.  
  
Nabiki blinked again.  
  
After splashing himself with hot water and donning his robe,  
Mousse grabbed Nabiki by the shoulders. "Tendo Akane! I've come to speak  
to you on a very important matter!" Nabiki reached up and pulled his  
glasses down. "Tendo Nabiki? Sorry."  
  
"Nevermind. Now what's this important matter that concerns my  
little sis?"  
  
He thought for a minute. "I need to warn Ranma and Akane.  
They're lives are in danger!"  
  
The middle Tendo's eyes narrowed. "From what?"  
  
Mousse looked down. "Amazons." Nabiki thought on this for a  
second, while Mousse looked up again. "Please, at least let's assemble  
your family. I do have some more information to relate and it will be  
easier if I can do it all at once."  
  
Nabiki nodded and the two headed downstairs.  
  
  
  
  
  
Onna-Ranma was working through a complex kata she had devised.  
The movements were horribly complicated and combined moves from a dozen  
different styles. She had strung them all together in a unique way that  
promised great things if she could get it right.  
  
She she jumped, punched, and kicked through the motions, a  
faint blue aura began to build around her, though she didn't notice  
since she was too busy concentrating. She neared the end of the sequence  
and brought her hands together.  
  
"Moko," she said silently. She jumped and flipped in mid-air.  
  
"Takabisha," she intoned a little louder as she came down.  
  
Touching down, she finished it. "Perfect!"  
  
The ki ball in her hands suddenly grew in size and engulfed  
her. For a second, her nerves were on fire as her confidence began to  
wane. Then she recovered and held onto the fact she had worked through  
the kata to perfection. The fire she felt dimmed to a mere tingle as the  
high-powered blue ki energies swirled around her. She felt her control  
slipping and felt she needed to let go, else she would be consumed.  
  
She concentrated on her target, and thrust out her cupped  
hands. A brilliant beam of blue energy burst from the shield and plowed  
into the large rock formation. The shield quickly drained, and of her  
target, it was no more.  
  
"Yatta!" she leaped into the air.  
  
She didn't want to tell Akane, but the shear amount of energies  
they were generating together during the battle with Galfgar nearly  
killed them both. Ranma foolishly thought she could handle the extra  
energy, but it nearly proved her undoing. Only by focusing it around  
them, was she able to contain it. If it hadn't been for the confidence  
her friends showed in her, and Akane's love for her, they might've died.  
  
But now, now she had duplicated the move without Akane. It  
wasn't nearly as powerful, but she didn't have Akane's ki to draw on.  
Now she needed to perfect it; she could only hold the intial shield  
stage for no more than 10 seconds before she had to release the pent-up  
energy.  
  
She took a breath, closed her eyes, and began the kata again,  
though she didn't get the chance to finish.  
  
"AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!"  
  
Her eyes snapped open. That was Akane's voice!  
  
Ranma leapt into action, heading to where she left the girl  
practicing on the tree. As she came into view, her heart moved into her  
throat.  
  
Akane was laying on her side, away from him. She wasn't moving  
and blood covered her arm. Ranma dropped to the ground from the tree  
branch and ran to her, but froze midway.  
  
A large tiger was standing a few feet away, growling.  
  
She felt the fear began to rise. Despite all their Nekoken  
training, Ranma still held a fear of cats. Although if they were calm  
and non threatening, she could deal with one in a room. A huge tiger she  
still had problems with, but if she didn't do anything, Akane was as  
good as dead.  
  
Her cat persona began to claw it's way out of her mind, trying  
to take control and protect her from the menacing cat. She could almost  
smell the fish sausages, and her body began to tingle with the memory of  
many cats, biting and clawing at her flesh.  
  
Through shear strength of will, Ranma fought it down. If she  
went cat now, she wouldn't be able to treat Akane later. She had to do  
something.  
  
Her fists came up and she gulped, taking a single step forward.  
  
Then another.  
  
And another.  
  
The tiger continued to watch this intruder nearing it's meal.  
Sensing it was coming too close, it growled again, and leapt to the  
attack.  
  
Ranma dropped to the ground and rolled as she felt a claw swipe  
her back. It wasn't a deep cut, but it hurt nonetheless. The cat lunged  
again and onna-Ranma twirled out of the way. Her cat persona was  
screaming to be let out now. She almost let it, her fear was preventing  
her from forming any effective attack plans.  
  
Another lunge and swipe, and yet another near-miss.  
  
And then Ranma discovered something. Her body was starting to  
react like a cat, but she was still concious. The cat persona in her  
mind may still be contained, but her body was beginning to react. She  
didn't have full command of the Nekoken, but there was one thing she  
could try, and it just might ease the burden of the bestial force in her  
mind.  
  
Slowly, she let a trickle of the Neko persona loose. Not all of  
it, just a bit, and it was enough. With the next lunge, Ranma leapt to  
the attack instead of dodging. The tiger's claws met onna-Ranma's  
invisible ki-claws. The tiger growled and Ranma hissed.  
  
[Stay in control. Control. Control. Control.] She repeated that  
word in her mind over and over, and fought back.  
  
With a twist of her wrists, she sheared the claws off the big  
cat with her own and sent it tumbling backward. The tiger limped to it's  
feet and tried to decide whether to risk another attack. The pain in  
it's paws convinced it otherwise and it took off into the forest.  
  
Ranma collapsed to her knees, shaking greatly, as the cat  
persona in her mind retreated. She had done it! She had taken control,  
although she felt extremely exhausted from all the energy she used to  
both control her mind and go through the motions of attack and defense,  
not to mention the stress. Then she remembered Akane and crawled over to  
her.  
  
Trembling badly from the hyper dose of adrenaline still  
shooting through her veins, she rolled her iinazuke to her back and  
check the arm. Apparently the weights took the brunt of the attack and  
her arm was just scratched.  
  
[Then why isn't she moving?] Ranma thought worridly. She  
brushed her hand through the unconcious girl's hair, and felt a bump.  
[She must have hit her head on the tree when she fell from the attack.]  
  
"A-Akane?" Ranma whispered. "Come on Akane, wake up!"  
  
She stirred. "Ran-ma?"  
  
"I'm here."  
  
She jerked awake. "Kami! The tiger!"  
  
"It's gone." Ranma began to feel dizzy and weak, the exhausting  
experience catching up to her as the adrenaline faded. "Sorry, you'll  
have treat us both..." Ranma collapsed.  
  
"Ranma!" Akane exclaimed. She sat up and then noticed the blood,  
as well as the glistening sheen of sweat covering the redhead. After  
checking the smaller girl over, Akane relaxed some, realizing that she  
was going to be okay.  
  
"I guess I better get to the stream and wash us both off."  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma awoke with the sensation of very cold water running down  
her back. She involuntary winced and hissed. She then noted she was on  
her side and topless.  
  
"Sorry about that, but I need to clean your wound," Akane said  
from behind her.  
  
Ranma winced again as Akane dabbed at the wound with a towel.  
"Careful, tomboy!"  
  
"Ranma?" Akane asked.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Ranma blinked. "Oh, it was nothing."  
  
"Baka! You faced down a tiger for me. I don't know how you did  
it."  
  
Ranma groaned as her fiancee finished dressing the wound with  
some bandages. "Neither do I."  
  
Ranma replaced her shirt and they walked back to the campsite  
together. Both still somewhat weak, and each partially supporting the  
other. Ranma called a halt to the day's training so Akane could recover.  
Well, so she could recover too, but she didn't admit it.  
  
After lunch (and a quick hot water change), he snuck away from  
the campsite and wandered to the top of a nearby cliff to think. He  
never really realized how powerfully the Nekoken had affected him until  
now. Before, the change had always been quick, and he held no memory of  
it afterwards.  
  
But even now, he could practically feel that other personality  
within him, and the memory of it clawing at his conscious mind lingered  
still. He felt very much like a ticking time bomb, and for once, he was  
very much in fear for what it what mean for Akane.  
  
His iinzuke, meanwhile, had gone to find Ranma after cleaning  
up the few dishes from dinner. She was worried about this latest  
challenge would affect him. He might put on a macho front, but she knew  
he could actually be quite fragile inside. Just because he didn't  
express complex emotion, didn't mean he didn't have them.  
  
After several minutes of searching, she finally managed to find  
him perched on top of the rocky precipice. "Ranma?" she asked, unsure  
whether he wanted her to join him.  
  
"Ya know, I think I almost understand," he said slowly.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"The Nekoken," he replied. "It's more than a fear-based  
reaction." Akane walked over and sat down beside him. "I've never told  
anyone this before, but, everytime my fear reaches a certain level and  
if a cat is present, a presence in my mind takes over. Usually, my mind  
is happy to let it take over."  
  
"So why was this time different? You must've been terrified of  
the tiger, but you drove it off."  
  
Ranma was silent for a minute, but when he spoke next, it was  
very quiet. "Because of you. You were in danger." Akane wrapped her arm  
around him, trying to comfort him as Ranma continued. "I knew that if I  
went Nekoken, I might not be able to help you if you were seriously  
hurt. The part of me that wants to protect you fought with the cat  
personality."  
  
Akane looked up to see a tear run down his face, teller her how  
deeply this was affecting him. "I-It nearly won, Akane. I could feel it  
clawing and hissing and screaming and..." Ranma dropped his head as the  
tears flew freerer and his voice began to break. "Oh kami, Akane, I  
nearly lost it. I was so scared. I was so damn scared..."  
  
Akane squeezed him tighter and laid her head on his shoulder.  
"Shhh. It's okay. You beat it and saved me."  
  
He fought back his tears. "No, it's not alright! I may have  
this time, but what about next time? Just easing my fear to cats isn't  
enough. It'll always be with me and sooner or later I'll get scared  
enough of something and I'll lose control to it."  
  
Akane furrowed her brow in thought. "You almost make it sound  
like a living, seperate entity."  
  
Ranma thought for a moment. "Tha-that's what it feels like.  
That's exactly what it feels like."  
  
"Then maybe you should try to communicate with it," she said  
simply.  
  
"How?"  
  
"I don't know. You'll figure out a way." She leand up and kissed  
him lightly on the lips. "You always do."  
  
"Man, I'm so messed up." He looked down at Akane's concerned  
gaze. "How can you stand to be with me?"  
  
She smiled. "Because I do. I need you and you, Saotome Ranma,  
need me!"  
  
He finally, and hesitantly, wrapped his own arm around her,  
returning the hug at least. "I used to think I didn't need anybody, that  
I could get by on my own." He kissed the top of her head. "Now, I don't  
know what I'd do without you. I love you so damn much."  
  
She looked up at him and smiled that smile that drove him nuts.  
"I love you, too." 


	7. Chapter 7

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 7  
  
  
  
  
  
"Alright, we have everyone here," Nabiki said. "Ranma and Akane  
have gone on a training trip and they didn't tell any of us where. Now  
talk."  
  
Mousse looked around at the assembled Tendos and Saotomes. Tofu  
was already around, visiting Kasumi when Mousse showed up. "What I'm  
going to tell you is what happened when we returned to China. Shampoo  
was still horribly upset that she lost Ranma. She knew there would be a  
reckoning when she faced the Amazon elder council. After all, she spent  
over a year here and what does she have to show for it? Nothing. In  
fact, Cologne died because she came with Shampoo. That loss unbalanced  
the council."  
  
"But, it was my understanding Cologne-san died to save us from  
that creature Krynn had become," Tofu interjected. "Shouldn't that mean  
something to them?"  
  
Mousse shook his head. "Maybe, but the consequences were dire.  
Cologne was the greatest of the Amazons and held great political clout.  
Her main rival, Zhao Len, was almost as powerful, but not nearly as  
popular. With Cologne gone, Zhao Len saw her chance and attempted to  
seize power for herself. She swayed more Amazons to her cause and the  
other three council members were soon powerless to stop her, lest they  
risk a civil war. Then Shampoo arrived."  
  
He paused to gather his thoughts. "She challenged for her right  
as Cologne's chosen successor, to claim her seat on the council. She  
successfully bested the ten opponents set against her, then argued her  
position. She convinced the council that, thought the seat was hers, she  
didn't feel ready to take it. Instead, she elected Pu Yon, an old family  
friend of her family's, to take the seat until Shampoo felt she was  
ready.  
  
Mousse's head dropped. "But soon after, she became...  
different. After her defeat by Akane, she had grown warmer toward me. I  
became her friend again by forgoing my pursuit of her, and she opened up  
to me more. I thought I was making progress, but one day it all  
changed."  
  
He paused, and the gathered group could see how difficult  
recalling these memories wer for the myopic Amazon. "It was back to the  
same old thing," he said quietly. "Shampoo began to ignore me again.  
Nothing I said got through to her. Even more strangely, was Zhao Len was  
arguing that Ranma should either marry into the tribe or be killed for  
his knowledge of Amazon techniques and Shampoo agreed. She was all too  
eager to marry him again." He shook his head. "I don't know what they  
did to her, but once I found out, I tried to stop her. She turned me  
into a duck and trapped me in a cage while her, Zhao Len and a bunch of  
warriors left for Japan under the council's orders to reclaim Ranma."  
  
There were several murmurs at this. Amazons were coming here  
for Ranma and it sounded like a lot of them.  
  
"So how did you get here if they locked you up?" Soun asked.  
  
"You can thank LinLin and RanRan for that," he replied. "They  
still don't like the idea of Shampoo marrying Ranma. Together, we  
escaped and came here with the purpose of finding Ranma and warning him.  
They're off scouting right now, but should be back by tomorrow." He  
sighed. "If you don't know where Ranma and Akane are, than chances are  
neither does Zhao Len and Shampoo. They're probably scouting the  
countryside looking for them. With their numbers, they'll have a better  
chance at finding them."  
  
Nabiki smirked(tm). "They may have numbers, but I have  
connections. We'll find them first."  
  
Genma pushed his glasses up. "How many of these Amazons would  
we be facing?"  
  
Mousse hesitated. "If it comes to direct conflict, we could be  
facing anywhere from 50 to 100 amazon warriors, almost a third of the  
tribe. While Shampoo may be the best of her generation, there are older  
generations which will be tougher opponents. These warriors may stop you  
and question you on where Ranma is. Be careful in how you deal with  
them."  
  
"Hey Mousse," Nabiki asked. "Would you say these Amazons are in  
the country legally?"  
  
He thought for a second. "Probably not. They don't plan to stay  
long. Zhao Len does have connections as well, but arranging for an army  
of Amazons to enter the country would raise some suspicions in the  
Japanese goverment. I doubt she'd take that kind of a risk."  
  
"Then she's probably hiding them somewhere in the country,"  
Nabiki reasoned. "If we could find out where they're hiding, I'm sure I  
could interested some people in the government..." She left the sentence  
unfinished but everyone understood.  
  
Genma stood. "Then it's clear. Everyone keep their eyes and  
ears open, but no direct confrontations with the Amazons unless you have  
no choice. We don't need to risk bringing their wrath down on us just  
yet until we have a better handle on the situation. We'll stay in close  
contact until Nabiki finds Ranma and Akane. Then we get them back here  
and confront the Amazons on our terms."  
  
Nodoka gazed at her husband with pride, seeing the man she once  
knew re-emerging. Everyone else who knew Genma well, looked dumbfounded.  
They weren't used to seeing him taking charge and making sound  
judgements.  
  
The meeting broke up then, and Mousse left to check with the  
twin girls he arrived with while Tofu headed back to his clinic, but  
both Saotome parents stayed. There was safety in numbers. The Amazons  
were practicing it, why shouldn't they as well?  
  
A short time later there was a knock at the door and Kasumi  
answered it.  
  
"Oh, hello!" Those in the dining room heard Kasumi say. "It's so  
good to see you again. Why don't you come inside?"  
  
The group looked up as she led two girls in. Nabiki's jaw  
dropped. "Natsume and Kurumi?"  
  
They bowed and Natsume stated, "We've come to challenge you  
once again for the dojo."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ryoga concentrated. [I can do this. If Ranma can adapt and  
change his moves, so  
can I!]  
  
"Bakusai Tenketsu Ha!"  
  
He hit the ground with a finger and was reward as a huge rock  
twenty meters away blew up with the series of explosions that reached it  
in under two seconds. "Success!"  
  
Akari hugged him. "You did it, Ryo-chan! I'm so proud of you!"  
  
Ryoga laughed nervously as he put a hand behind his head. "Heh  
heh, it was nothin'." His expression calmed down a bit. "When I do the  
breaking point, I use a little ki to hit an extremely small spot that  
causes an object to explode. With this, I'm sending a faint line of ki  
through the ground, hitting multiple breaking points as it travels."  
  
"So, what are you planning to work on now?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know. I mean, I suppose can adapt in further and do  
something like a small earthquake if I wanted, but that would cause a  
lot of collateral damage. I still need a reliable ki blast."  
  
"Could you do Ranma's?" she suggested.  
  
He thought about it, then laughed. "Heh, nice thought, but I'd  
never match Ranma's ego."  
  
Akari thought for a second. "Well.... I do know you're as brave  
as a pig." Ryoga winced slightly. "Why not try courage?"  
  
The lost boy was about to say something, but then he closed his  
eyes and considered the idea. He did seem to be at his strongest and  
best when fighting all out for a cause, throwing personal safety out the  
window, especially for Akane. But now, those same feelings seemed to be  
getting stronger with Akari then they ever did for the girl who called  
him P-chan. He would do anything for the girl who loved him.  
  
He opened his eyes, looked down into Akari's deep blue eyes,  
and smiled. "Stand back and let me try something."  
  
She nodded and reluctantly released him, taking a few steps  
backward. Ryoga turned and found a target, a large, dead tree standing  
60 meters away. He concentrated on his feelings for Akari and his desire  
to do anything for her. The memory of his first kiss was with her (as a  
human anyway).  
  
He brought his hands forward and cupped them outward.  
  
"Shishi Hokoridan!"  
  
A big, red and white striped, comet-like blast roared out from  
his hands and impacted the tree a split-second later. Though less  
powerful than the Shishi Houkodan, it still was strong enough to blow a  
big hole in the thick tree.  
  
When Akari looked up afterwards, she saw Ryoga had a goofy grin  
on his face. She knew that look, and he usually got it after she kissed  
him. "Ryoga-chan?"  
  
At the sound of her voice, he turned and looked at her, grin  
still plastered on his face. For some reason, he felt really good and,  
acting on something (he didn't know what), he ran over to her, picked  
her up, and swung her around in a circle.  
  
"Yatta!" Ryoga shouted as Akari giggled in girlish delight.  
  
When he suddenly realized what he was doing, he quickly set her  
down and laughed nervously while putting a hand behind his head. Akari,  
not wanting to lose the moment, glomped him in monster hug.  
  
"Ryo-chan, I'm so proud of you!" she squealed. "How did you do  
it?"  
  
"Well, when you suggested courage, it got me thinking," he  
started. "Before I met you, I only lived to get revenge on Ranma by  
fighting him. Over time, I realized, besides that, I had nothing else to  
live for and soon didn't care much whether I lived or died."  
  
Akari's eyes turned sorrowful. "Ryoga..."  
  
He laughed nervously again. "It's okay, I'm better now..." he  
looked away and said in a quieter voice, "now that I have you." But  
Akari still heard it loud and clear. He looked into her eyes again.  
"You... you give me the courage to live each day now. I no longer think  
the world is such a cold and lonely place."  
  
She smiled. "Oh, Ryoga, I-I feel the same way! I love you so  
much..."  
  
The same tingle went through the lost boy's body, same as  
always whenever she said that. Only this time, he had the courage to  
respond to it. "Thanks... Akari-chan. I... I lov..." He closed his eyes  
and gulped.. "Iloveyou,too," he said quietly.  
  
Akari gave him a squeeze, then a kiss, then took his arm as  
they walked back to the farmhouse. [I said I'd wait for you forever, and  
I'm glad I did. I knew you'd come back to me.]  
  
Ryoga, for once, took pleasure in the warmth the Akari provided  
instead of nervous tension. [Akari, thank you. You've given me something  
I never thought I'd have. I-I hope I prove myself worthy of you.]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Yuri-honey, have you noticed something different Selah-  
chan?" Ukyo asked as the two did some cleaning around Ucchans.  
  
Yuri looked over at the girl in question who was sitting in  
booth and coloring in a book. "Now that you mention it, she does seem  
more withdrawn. She used to be so happy and bubbly, especially around my  
brother."  
  
"Think it might have something to do with what happened back at  
Kodachi's crazy house?"  
  
Yuri nodded. "We were shot at with several arrows, dropped into  
a black pit, then had a ton of dirt fall on us. I think the event scared  
her more than she'll admit. Maybe someone should talk to her."  
  
"Well, Kenji-kun's out training with your sensei, and she sees  
me as a rival for him, so I think it should be you," Ukyo reasoned.  
  
The ninja girl sighed, but reluctantly agreed. She walked over  
to Selah who looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Howya doin', kiddo?"  
She slid into the booth with the younger girl, though Selah didn't  
respond. "Hey, I know something's bothering you. Wanna talk about it?"  
She shook her head and Yuri sighed. "You know, the more you keep your  
problems bottles up inside, the worse you feel. I should know; me and  
Kenji lost our parents awhile ago."  
  
She looked up. "You did?"  
  
"Yep. Let me tell you I was feeling pretty bad for quite awhile.  
Some friends of my mother's took care of me and tried to help me, but  
for awhile I didn't want to talk to anyone. Then Neko, a friend, got me  
to talk about what happened and you know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I felt a whole lot better. When you share your innermost  
thoughts with a friend, especially your sad ones, it makes the hurt go  
away some." Her voice became quieter and she whispered, "And just  
between you and me, I was pretty scared back there at Kodachi's house."  
  
"You were?" Yuri nodded. Selah seemed to ponder this for awhile,  
then looked down. "I wish my mommy were here, I wanna see her again.  
Where is she?" A few tears appeared in her eyes, but she bravely wiped  
them away. Yuri put her arm around the girl and Selah responded by  
latching onto the older girl.  
  
"We'll find her, I promise. Nabiki-chan is looking into it. I've  
been told that if she can find out anything!" Selah looked up. "Just  
remember, you have all of us as family now." Yuri began to stroke the  
little girl's hair, hoping to calm her. It seemed to be working. "Now, I  
don't think that's all that's been bothering you, is it?"  
  
Selah stiffened, then nodded slowly.  
  
"It has to do with the rescue trip?" Nod. Yuri sighed, since  
that's what she expected. Selah pretended to put on a brave front, but  
after the whole episode was over and the shock wore off, the reality of  
what happened hit her hard and she was unable to deal with the traumatic  
incident, so she internalized it.  
  
"Now you know why we wanted you to stay here," Yuri said at  
last. "We care about you and didn't want to see you get hurt." She bent  
down to whisper in the little girl's ear. "And I'll tell you a secret:  
Ukyo-chan cares about you, too."  
  
Selah looked up, her deep blue eyes blinking sleepily. "Sh-she  
does?"  
  
Yuri nodded as she looked out the window. "We all do. You're  
among friends here, so you don't have to hide your feelings. Until we  
find your family, we'll take care of you..." As she trailed off, she  
looked down to see the little girl had fallen asleep. Smiling and  
shaking her head, she picked up the sleeping bundle and took her to  
Ukyo's room.  
  
Placing her on one of the spare futons, she pulled a blanket  
over her and left.  
  
"You've got quite a way with kids, Yuri-chan," Ukyo stated when  
the other girl returned. "The little squirt trusts you."  
  
Yuri smiled. "She's not so bad, ne?"  
  
Ukyo grumbled. "I wouldn't say that. She's soaked too many of  
my clothes for me to like the little squirt. I'm still keeping my eye on  
her."  
  
Yuri just laughed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In her bed, Selah was actually still awake, thinking back to  
when she had last seen her mother...  
  
They were camped in forest, resting from their many days of  
travel. Selah could sense something was wrong, since her mother always  
seemed worried about something but wouldn't tell her daughter what it  
was. Her mother also insisted on a fast pace of travel.  
  
It had been like that ever since they were forced to abandon  
their home in the Tiebtan mountains. Selah remembered awakening to her  
mother's urgent shaking, saying they needed to leave. There were screams  
and yelling outside their house, and when they departed, she could see  
most of the other houses in flames. Her mother told her they were  
escaping east, that they'd be safe from the danger there.  
  
But what danger did her mother mean? Obviously, it was the one  
that threatened their village, and that her father had gone to fight  
along with several others. She never saw her father again, though her  
mother said he had died to protect them and that he wouldn't want them  
to be sad.  
  
Selah resolved not to be sad, for her father.  
  
All of a sudden, her mother perked up as they sat around the  
small fire, as if listening to something.  
  
"What is it, momma?"  
  
All color drained from her mother's face and Selah heard her  
whisper silently, "They've found us." She looked at her daughter and  
tried to smile. "It's going to be okay, baby. Mommy's just going to do  
something. Here," she handed Selah a photograph. "This is a picture of  
Soyokaze Kenji."  
  
Selah beamed. "He's cute! He's my fiance, isn't he?"  
  
Her mother had no time to argue and nodded. "He'll take care of  
you. Now, I want you to run back out to the road and follow it. It will  
take you to a town named Nerima. Kenji should be there, staying at a  
restaurant and attending school." She put out the fire with a minor  
water blast as she hustled her daughter along.  
  
"But what about you, momma?" A scared Selah asked.  
  
"I'll be fine." Mrs. Lenwith dropped to her knees in front of  
her daughter. "In these next few days you must learn to be brave and  
take care of yourself. Can you promise me you will do that?"  
  
Selah, despite how scared she was feeling, nodded bravely.  
  
"Good. I love you, sweetie." She gave her daughter a hug. "Now  
please go and don't look back. And don't come back no matter what you  
may hear or sense. I'll try to catch up with you as soon as I can." She  
stood up and gave her only daughter a push.  
  
Selah began to run. "I'll be brave, momma, I promise!"  
  
And she ran and ran down the road as explosions and gushing  
water sounded behind her, never looking back, tears running down her  
face.  
  
  
  
  
  
Now, alone in her futon, Selah allowed her tears to run down  
her face once more. "I'm sorry, momma, I promised to be brave... but I'm  
so scared."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kenji glanced around the park, his eyes focusing on nothing.  
[He's here somewhere.] He turned his head slightly. [There!] He reached  
into his shirt and pulled out a handful of shuriken, then flung them at  
the tree.  
  
His sensei easily leapt out of the way of the projectiles and  
Kenji rushed to intercept and attack. A clang of metal against metal  
resounded as Bo met staff. Kenji vaulted over his teacher and aimed his  
landing. When Kenji's sensei turned around, his opponent was gone.  
  
"Very good, my pupil," he commended. "You are learning. You are  
well on your way to mastering the ninja art of hiding and invisibility,  
as well as detecting those that are hiding. Now you must learn when and  
how to strike, and since all opponents are different, you will need to  
learn how to read them." He pointed his staff at a small shadow. "By the  
way, you can come out of there now, the lesson is over."  
  
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Kenji standing  
behind him. The old sensei laughed. "You surprise me, boy, and that's  
not an easy thing to do. I shall now tell you my name. I am Satsu." He  
bowed.  
  
"So, does this mean I passed?" Kenji asked.  
  
Satsu chuckled. "Oh my, boy, no. You've just reached a certain  
level. Now, we work on your fighting skills. Ninjas are first taught to  
hide and move silently, then to fight. I see you prefer the Bo, why is  
that?"  
  
Kenji hefted the weapon in his hands and twirled it. "It's  
generally non-lethal."  
  
"Hmmm. I may have to break you of that line of thinking. On the  
battlefield, you may not be given a chance to decide if your enemy  
lives. And the Bo can still break bones and cause fatal injury if used  
right." He shook his head. "But that's enough for now. I shall leave now  
and come for you when it's time for you to train again."  
  
He disappeared into the night and Kenji shook his head. The  
ninja trainee had learned quite a bit in the few training sessions he  
been in with the old master. His awareness to his surroundings had  
increased and he now had the ability to hide in shadows. He could also  
move from shadow to shadow without being detected.  
  
He was so proud of his new abilities, that when he was a block  
away from Ucchan's and sensed he was being followed, he decided to turn  
the tables. Kenji ducked around a corner and merged easily with the  
blackness cast by the light from the full moon. A pair of figures  
appeared above him and glanced down. He could hear one of them swear,  
then they began to speak in a language he didn't understand.  
  
[Two women speaking Mandarin,] he thought to himself. Satsu had  
told him that the Amazons were in town, and Nabiki had informed the  
Ucchan gang about them as well. [And that means Amazons. Well, this is  
my chance to find out where the're hiding out.]  
  
When the women left, Kenji leapt to the roof and began to  
follow them, staying in the shadows and hanging back far enough to avoid  
alerting them. He was surprised at how young they looked, and briefly  
wondered if he could fight them if it came to that. [Older women are a  
definite threat, but these are little girls!]  
  
Nevertheless, he continued to follow them into the night.  
  
  
  
  
  
Satsu entered the abandoned building that served as his  
temporary home while he trained the Soyokaze siblings. He made his way  
to the partially demolished attic and over to the twin bird cages.  
Sitting down at the desk, he began to write a message. It was in code so  
even if it was intercepted, it wouldn't be understood. To the receipant  
however, it would read like this:  
  
Oka,  
You were right. Kenji shows remarkable potential, and he turns into a  
wolf. I know a Jusenkyo curse wasn't what we expected, but then what  
were we expecting? There are several more exceptional people here, many  
of them powerful fighters. Two in particular interest me: A boy named  
Saotome Ranma and a girl named Tendo Akane. Sound familiar? I believe  
our ancient texts speak of the Saotome and Tendo families. Ranma is one  
of the best I've ever seen, and Akane is just beginning to tap her full  
potential. I think you know what this means. I suggest you go back over  
the ancient records.  
Satsu  
  
  
  
He broke the message into two parts and placed one part on a  
carrier pigeon and let it loose. When it was gone, he placed the second  
message on a second homing pigeon and sent it on it's way.  
  
Then he relaxed, stroked his goatee, and did some more  
thinking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did you find anything?" Mousse asked. The two sisters shook  
their head.  
  
"Zhao Len hides too too well," LinLin said. "We no can find her  
in city."  
  
"We think she hide in country, but is big place," RanRan added.  
"We maybe no find unless have big search party."  
  
Mousse sighed. "Just as I feared. We'll have to rely on Tendo  
Nabiki's connections, or else wait for Zhao Len's first move." [Or  
Shampoo's,] he added silently. "We'll head back to the Tendo Dojo for  
now and wait."  
  
The two younger sisters of Shampoo clutched their weapons  
tightly and nodded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Okay, Akane, one more try and then we head back," Ranma said.  
  
She nodded in grim determination and concentrated on the stream  
once more. She was recovered enough from the tiger attack of nearly a  
week ago, and with the speed training she had been receiving, Ranma felt  
her ready enough to attempt it. The weights came off and Akane felt so  
much lighter and faster then ever. Still, her first nine attempts at the  
current move had been slightly under the goal.  
  
"Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!" she called out. Her hands lanced  
into the river at blinding speeds, and fish began to pile up next to  
her. After five seconds, Ranma called stop.  
  
Akane glanced at Ranma expectantly and awaited his verdict. He  
looked from the pile of fish to the stopwatch and then back to her. A  
big grin appeared on his face. "You did it." Akane shrieked and hugged  
Ranma tightly. "Whoa! I'm proud of ya too, but leave some air in my  
lungs."  
  
"Gomen," she said, lightening up.  
  
They stood up, gathered the fish, and headed back to camp. "The  
move was still a little on the sloppy side, but you got the basics  
down," he reported. "You just to need to work on perfecting it." He  
grinned. "And I got the perfect way for you to perfect it."  
  
"The perfect way?" she asked confused and not a little bit  
hesitant.  
  
He didn't say anymore as they entered the camp and began  
preparing their dinner. He built a fire while she put some rice into a  
pot and filled it with water. Ranma gutted and cleaned the fish, then  
set them over the fire to cook along with the rice.  
  
After dinner, Ranma annouced it was time for the final test.  
She watched in understanding as he placed several chestnuts into the  
fire, then removed them at blinding speeds using the Amaguriken  
technique. He looked at Akane who nodded with determination that she was  
ready.  
  
  
He replaced the chestnuts and said, "If you can do this, then  
I've got a surprise for ya. I won't tell ya until you do it."  
  
"I'll show you!" she stated, then turned her focus to the fire.  
Some of the chestnuts were partially buried and it would take all of her  
concentration and skill to remove them without being burned.  
  
"Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!" she called out once again. Her hands  
blazed into the fire, and when she was done, she held all the of the  
chestnuts in her hand. They were pretty hot, but for some reason, she  
didn't notice.  
  
"You've definitely got it," he said, impressed. "Now, there's  
something I gotta tell ya." She nodded slowly, puttng the chestnuts  
down, and waited for him to continue. He turned toward the fire. "I've  
kinda got a confession ta make... about our engagement. I've never  
really liked the fact that it was our parent's idea. I don't wanna get  
married, just for honor."  
  
Akane, however, only heard the "I don't wanna get married"  
part, and her heart dropped into her stomach. [I... I thought he loved  
me...] She felt so cold and shakey all of a sudden. Her mouth opened,  
but nothing came out.  
  
Ranma inhaled, completely oblivious to her reaction, and pulled  
a small box out of his pants pocket. He turned and presented it to  
Akane. "We should break our parent's engagement, and replace it with our  
own." He opened the box revealing the yin-yang ring. "I-I want us to be  
fiancee's for real." Ranma felt as if he was shaking almost as much as  
it looked like Akane was. "That is, if you want to."  
  
The cold wave running through her body suddenly turned white  
hot. "R-Ranma, y-you mean it?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Ranma's nerve was beginning to leave him. [No! Not until I get  
this out!] "Akane, will you... will you marry me?"  
  
Akane was in a state of shock. First from his seeming break up,  
then from the ring in the box that was now in front of her. She began to  
shed tears and, since she couldn't find her voice, she held up her hand  
and nodded fiercely as Ranma slipped the ring onto her finger. She then  
wrapped her arms around him and found her voice again. "YES! Of course  
I'll marry you, Baka! Just don't scare me like that again!"  
  
"You know I'd never willingly leave ya," he said softly.  
  
She kissed him passionately as a response, then sat back,  
wondering if her face was as nervous looking and flushed as his. She  
smiled slightly. "So, when?"  
  
Ranma blinked, then turned partially away from her. "Um, if  
it's all right with you, I wanna wait awhile. I don't know too much  
about this stuff, but I don't think I'm ready to be a hu-husband just  
yet."  
  
She leaned into him then and, wrapped her arm around his waist,  
understanding. "Well, since I was partially responsible for the last  
wedding, I'll let you decide the next one." Her smile grew a bit. "Just  
don't keep me waiting too long. I don't want to be an old maid before I  
get married."  
  
Akane felt, rather than heard Ranma chuckle, his chest  
vibrating wonderfully against her cheek, and his arm hesitantly went  
around her shoulders. "I won't. I... I just got a lot of thinkin' to  
do."  
  
No more talk took place around the fire that evening as they  
contented themselves with just the feel of each other's presence. Each  
knew an another important milestone had been reached that night, similar  
to that night where they told each each of their love. Then, they had  
decided to actively pursue the relationship, to see where it would go.  
  
And right now, Akane realized, it was going very well. She knew  
Ranma was holding something back, some fear about marriage, but she  
decided not to pry and let him tell her when he was ready. After a year-  
and-a-half of living with him, she learned to tell when something was on  
his mind.  
  
They seperated an hour later and Akane headed into the tent  
while Ranma, his heart still trying to break the sound barrier, cleaned  
up outside and put the fire out. When he was done, he entered the tent  
to find a sight that that he wasn't expecting.  
  
Akane was in her pajamas and had just finished zipping the  
sleeping bags together. She turned to glance coyly at him, her face beat  
red and a curious look in her eyes..  
  
"A-Akane!?" he asked. "What'd you do that for?"  
  
She held out her hand, he nervously took it, and she guided him  
to kneel beside her. Her eyes dropped down, her fingers playing  
nervously with her ring."Well, it is going to be a cold night tonight  
and we are officially engaged now. I just thought that, well... I just  
wanted to hold you tonight." She looked up at him through her eyelashed.  
"If that's okay with you?"  
  
Ranma gulped nervously, but nodded. He stripped off his pants  
and shirt, leaving him in his boxers and muscle T-shir as he slipped  
into his sleeping bag, laying down on his back. Akane followed suit,  
working her way under his left arm resting her head on his chest, where  
she could hear the rapid beating of his heart. She settled one of her  
arms across his stomach and pressed her full body against him, feeling  
the heat his body generated.  
  
"I've wanted to do this for so long," she whispered contentedly  
into his chest. "Ranma?"  
  
"Hmmm?" he answered while resting his eyes.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" He grunted affirmative. "Do you find  
me... well, attractive?"  
  
He raised his head and opened his eyes to see her looking  
intently at him. He turned a slight shade of red as he nodded. "Uh,  
yeah. You look fine ta me. Always did."  
  
She blushed as well and then asked, "Then why did you always  
call me uncute?"  
  
He sighed while he internally debated his answer. "Akane,  
uncute was never about how ya looked. It was always about the way you  
acted. The way you'd get mad and hit me with giving me a chance to  
explain, and when you'd get jealous and yell at me."  
  
She accepted that answer as several scenes flashed through her  
head, all of them dealing with her delivering pain instead of listening  
to him. She looked down, somewhat chastised. "I-I'm sorry, Ranma. I'll  
try not to get jealous and hit you anymore."  
  
The pig-tailed martial artist shrugged, as as much of a shrug  
as he could manage in his current position. "It ain't no big deal,  
really. I don't mind ya hittin' me, it's just part of my life and it's  
somethin' I can deal with." He grinned. "Plus, I don't what my life  
would be like without my brutal tomboy..."  
  
"Ranma?" Akane asked, confused. "Then, do you really think I'm a  
tomboy?"  
  
"Yep." He smiled at her fallen expression. "Hey, I like  
tomboys!" She looked at him disbelievingly. "No, I'm serious. How do I  
explain it." He thought for a moment. "Weak and dainty girls like Kasumi  
or Nabiki aren't my type. Well, until recently I never thought about  
that stuff like that. But ever since I got engaged to you and spent time  
here with all those girl's after me, I began to think about what kind of  
wife I'd want. It seemed seemed I'd end up married one way or another. I  
decided that she would have ta be a martial artist, of course." He  
grinned at her. "I think you come close at any rate."  
  
That earned him a soft slug in the arm. "Baka."  
  
"That's another reason. It's not the hittin' so much I mind, I  
can take that. In fact, whenever we fought and ya hit me, I... well, to  
me it showed ya cared enough to get mad. I've been fighting all my life,  
so it's a part of me. You always gave me a good fight, but you never hit  
me when I was down, and you hardly ever let me be lonely."  
  
Akane's gaze softened. "Ranma..."  
  
"You always gave me your honest opinions, not caring what I  
thought about it. Ukyo, Shampoo, or Kodachi hit me, just agreed with  
everything I said. And the only times they turned violent, were against  
each other and any other girl that came too close to me." He shivered  
slightly. "Talk about jealousy..." He looked at her and decided to turn  
the tables. "So, what about you?"  
  
"Me?" She was surprised at the redirection, though she knew  
what he meant. "Well, you remember Kuno and his stupid `Defeat Akane and  
date her' proclamation? And how I had to beat up all those stupid boys  
every morning?" Her fist clenched in anger at the memory.  
  
"Uh, Akane? Your aura?"  
  
She suddenly realized that reddish-orange light flooding the  
tent was coming from her, and toned it down. "Oops, sorry. I was just so  
mad at that, I mean, who wouldn't be? How would you feel if fifty people  
tried to beat you up every morning?" She sighed. "Especially since if I  
was beat, it basically meant he was... free to do what he wanted with  
me. And if he was strong enough to do it, there was a chance I wouldn't  
have been able to do anything about it..."  
  
She shivered involuntary. That was something she had never  
really admitted to anyone before. "And then you came along, a boy who  
could beat me easily..."  
  
Ranma suddenly understood. "But I never would've done anything  
like that to ya..."  
  
"I know that now," she replied in a quiet voice. "But that fear  
was always there. So I responded by trying to control you, so you  
couldn't hurt me. I realized later that you wouldn't, and that you only  
wanted to protect me, so I guess that's when I started to fall in love  
with you." She found his right hand and gave it a squeeze.  
  
"But then the other girls started showing up," she continued in  
somewhat disguested voice. "And it seemed they were all better than me,  
and better looking, and I was always afraid you would leave me for them  
because I couldn't measure up."  
  
"I never really wanted them," Ranma told her softly. "Kodachi's  
just plain scares me, and Shampoo ain't much better. I was always  
worried they were gonna drug me or use some other kind of mind control.  
Plus, Shampoo tried to kill both me and you. As a martial artist, I  
don't mind gettin' into fights, but I don't really feel right `bout  
someone who tries to kill. That just ain't right."  
  
Akane bit her lower lip. [He didn't mention the other one.]  
"What about Ukyo?"  
  
He was silent for a moment, and Akane feared the response he  
was going to give. "Akane, how can I tell you this? I thought Ukyo was a  
guy, a friend sorta like Ryoga, and I ain't `about to marry Ryoga."  
  
Akane surpressed a giggle at the sight of Ranma-onna in a  
wedding dress with Ryoga as the groom. Ranma didn't seem to notice as he  
continued.  
  
"The thing is, she shows up years later tryin' ta kill me. That  
hurt, like with Ryoga. She seemed all mad that I left her behind, so I  
told her she was cute in the hopes it would calm her down." His eyes  
closed. "I tried to go back to being her friend after that, but it  
was... I don't know, different. More obsessive. I had so few friends,  
that Ukyo almost seemed like family, and then she goes and destroys my  
momma's house and the weddin'..."  
  
Akane was silent while she analyzed what he had told her. [I  
guess I can understand that.] She yawned, the combination of deep  
thought and Ranma's warm body lulling her to sleep. A part of her mind  
noted that Ranma's heart had slowed and was beating normally. The rest  
ignored it as it drifted off.  
  
Ranma realized absently that his left hand was stroking her  
hair as she leaned against him. For the first time in his life he felt  
so at peace and - what's the word?  
  
Oh yeah - happiness. Somehow, he felt more complete with her by  
his side. He looked down and realized her eyes were closed and her  
breathing soft; she had fallen asleep.  
  
He closed his eyes as well and soon joined her.  
  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Ryoga's new techniques:  
Bakusai Tenketsu Ha - Blasting point wave  
Shishi Hokoridan - Lion's Pride Bullet - Based on courage  
  
Yamesenken - Deadly techniques invented by Genma. Sealed because they  
were too dangerous.  
  
Kijin Rashuu-dan - Fierce God Assault Bomb, part of the Yamesenken 


	8. Chapter 8

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 8  
  
  
  
  
  
"So that's what I've learned so far," Miyo stated. "Mom's  
library doesn't have much on the subject, but from what I gather, the  
dreams I've been having did really happen a long time ago. So I was  
hoping..."  
  
"That Yubanaga would know something," Toshi finished. "Give me a  
minute to speak with him." He closed his eyes and assumed a lotus  
position. He stayed that way for more than ten minutes, during which, he  
never moved, not even a single muscle.  
  
His eyes suddenly burst open and he inhaled sharply. Miyo  
offered him a glass of cold water which he gladly accepted, then she  
waited until he was ready to speak.  
  
"There is a reason to your dreams," he said at last. "What  
you're witnessing is a 1000 year old war between an entity known only as  
the Dark Shogun, and the forces of Tendo Senshin. Yubanaga doesn't know  
a whole lot of the details, but he did fight in the war as a minor  
soldier on the Tendo side. He thought the war was won and everything  
went back to normal."  
  
He took another drink of water, finishing off the glass.  
"That's as far as his knowledge goes. His `divine connections' only tell  
him that the battle is not over. He thinks your dreams are a way to pass  
the knowledge on. My advice would be to continue to record your dreams  
until we have a better handle on the situation. Maybe talk to the Tendos  
and their friends and see what they know."  
  
Miyo nodded as she absorbed all this in. [It makes sense,  
though mainly my dreams are foggy interpretations of the future,  
occasionally I do get glimpses of the past.]  
  
She looked up. "I think I'll make an appointment with Akane  
soon so we can talk."  
  
"I think that's a great idea." Toshi refilled the glass with the  
pitcher on the table. [Man, these talks with Yubanaga sure do leave me  
thirsty.]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, good morning Yuri-chan!" Kasumi said sweetly as she led the  
young girl inside. "What brings you by?"  
  
"I was wondering if you've seen my brother at all," she said as  
she entered the living room. "He didn't come home last night and our  
sensei says he left him after training, so he doesn't know."  
  
"Methinks this disappearence while yon Amazons are in town makes  
too much of a coincidence," Kuno intoned evenly from where he sat on a  
cushion next to the middle Tendo.  
  
"Really, Kuno-baby," Nabiki said sarcastically. "That's a given.  
If he doesn't show up soon, then we have to assume the Amazons have him.  
Probably took him for questioning."  
  
"I do not mean to pry, but may I ask who this gentlemen is that  
you are referring to?" Natsume asked as she and her sister emerged from  
the hallway. Kurumi saw the food and immediately jumped on it.  
  
"He's my brother," Yuri replied. "We moved into town awhile ago.  
I'm sure Nabiki-san can fill you in, but I've got to go and help Ukyo-  
chan and Selah-chan at the restaurant."  
  
Nabiki made the introductions. "Yuri, this is Natsume and  
Kurumi. They're old friends of ours. This is Soyokaze Yuri and her  
brother is Kenji."  
  
They bowed to one another and then Yuri excused herself to go  
back to Ucchans while Natsume sat down. "I'm grateful you're letting us  
stay here until Ranma and Akane come back, but I sense something amiss.  
If you tell us, maybe we can help?"  
  
"It's a long story, but the short answer is this," she began. "A  
group of Chinese Amazons are in Japan and apparently they want Ranma.  
You see, he learned a few of their techniques from an old Amazon name  
Cologne, and they want that information to stay within the Amazon  
nation. Also, they consider him a great warrior and are hoping to breed  
him so the next generation of warriors grow up to be as strong as him."  
  
Nabiki took a breath. Natsume blinked. Kurumi continued to eat,  
now competing with Genma for her meal (and holding her own).  
  
"Oh, and I found out what train Ranma and Akane took, so I can  
make a good guess as to where they're training," Nabiki added.  
  
"Really!?" Soun said, excited. "Where?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Entawa Mountain, near as I can tell."  
  
Soun stood up. "Then we must make plans to go after them!"  
  
"Don't bother, I've already alerted the local forest rangers,"  
The middle Tendo said nonchalantly. "If they find them, they'll pass  
along the message."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Outside the Tendo home, two female figures were lip reading the  
entire conversation. They saw Nabiki mouth `Entawa Mountain' and leapt  
away to report to their leader.  
  
  
  
  
  
Akane blinked her eyes open and saw Ranma. She blinked again.  
[Ranma's in my bed?]  
  
Before the anger climbed too high, she remembered it was her  
idea and relaxed. She brought up her hand and looked at the ring on her  
finger. After all this time, all the adventures, misunderstandings,  
fiancee battles, he was finally hers. He had proposed; he had wanted to  
marry her!  
  
Amazingly, their bodies were in the same postion they were in  
last night. She smiled and lifted one hand to brush some hair out of his  
eyes. [All the times I pushed him away, or got jealous; he always came  
back to me. I wish I could've done this a long time ago.]  
  
Ranma stirred a bit and Akane leaned over and kissed him  
lightly on the lips. After she pulled away, he yawned and slowly opened  
his eyes.  
  
Though Ranma's brain lacked most of it's functionality in the  
morning, it did manage to put together a few random facts and draw a  
conclusion. He was wearing only a t-shirt and boxers, she was in her  
pajamas, and they were in bed together. His mind processed this info and  
spit out a likely consequence.  
  
Prepare to get pounded.  
  
He attempted to back away and apologize, but Akane had already  
wrapped her arms around him, preventing him from breaking away.  
  
"Baka!" she scolded. "Where do you think you're going?"  
  
He blinked. "Wait a minute, was last a dream?"  
  
She tried to scowl at him, but found her face wouldn't do that  
at the moment, so she tried a different tactic. "Does this answer your  
question?" She crawled onto his chest and kissed him passionately.  
  
"Yeck, morning breath!" she complained after pulling away.  
  
"Hey!" he exclaimed, a little upset. "You're the one who kissed  
me!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
An hour later after breakfast, and seperate baths, Akane stood  
ready before him.  
  
"So, what's on the training schedule for today, sensei?" she  
asked.  
  
"Just some good old stamina and endurance training," he replied.  
His face softened a bit. "Ya know, you have shown some improvement over  
these past few days." He grinned. "I'm startin' ta think you may be the  
martial artist you were claimin' to be all along."  
  
"Ba-a-ka," she said, sweetly. "So, how do we train?"  
  
He sighed. He really was hoping to avoid this, but he wouldn't  
be a good teacher if he didn't. "You can move and you can hit; now you  
have to learn how to be hit. Meaning, I have to beat on you until pain  
becomes a distant memory."  
  
She looked a bit horrified. "You're sure about this?"  
  
"Yep. Pop beat on me on the time. And just look at Ryoga when he  
went through the Bakusai Tenketsu training. He's built like a tank now,  
thanks to having a boulder slam into him."  
  
"I won't have to do that, will I?" She shivered at the thought.  
There was quite a bit she was willing to do to perfect the Art, but she  
definitely didn't want to go through that, even if she learned the  
technique.  
  
"Naw, you ain't ready for it, and even I think that's a bit  
extreme. It may make you tougher, but it also slows you down some. I  
think speed is better. Nope, you just need to learn how to take hits.  
And also get hit enough that you can ignore the pain enough to  
concentrate on your next move."  
  
"So, how do you think I'd compare with everyone else?" she asked  
curiously.  
  
He thought about for a second. "You could take Ukyo, and of  
course you've beat Kodachi easily. The only reason you beat Shampoo, was  
because ya sprung a couple of surprise moves on her, but now..." He  
shrugged. "I think you might be able to take her in an even fight now.  
Still not as strong or as tough as Ryoga, but just as fast." Grinning,  
he added, "And I think you could probably tangle with Oyaji and come out  
okay."  
  
Akane felt awed. "Wow. Do you really think I'm that good?"  
  
"Not as good as me, `course I am the best!" He paused while she  
stuck her tongue out at him. "But think about it: You only trained for  
maybe a couple of hours a day, for most of your life. Ukyo trained  
heavily for about ten years and Shampoo almost her entire life, and you  
weren't that far off from them. If you'd trained as seriously as them  
during the past ten years, you could've easily wiped the floor with them  
when they arrived. I think that says you've got more raw potential."  
[Almost as much as me,] he almost added, but thought silently.  
  
Akane blushed from all the gratuitous praise she was receiving  
and then she was back to normal as Ranma launched his attack.  
  
  
  
  
  
"[You've found them?]" the old woman asked.  
  
"[Yes matriarch,]" Wen Tsu replied. "[They are training alone in  
the Engawa Forest.]"  
  
Zhao Len smiled. "[Very good, you may leave.]" Wen Tsu bowed  
and left. "[You know where this forest is?]"  
  
"[Yes, I do,]" came a voice from the shadows of Zhao Len's tent.  
"[And I can lead a team there to take them.]"  
  
"[You will do no such thing,] the old woman commanded. "[I've  
heard enough about this Ranma to know he is a very formidable opponent.  
He beat Herb of the Musk and most of the other opponents that have  
crossed his path. No, you'll stay here, guard the camp, and prepare for  
our return. I have ways of dealing with dangerous prey such as this  
Ranma.]"  
  
The figure stepped out of the shadow. "[And then I marry him  
and take him back to Joketsuzoku!]" Shampoo said with a happy grin on  
her face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on, Akane, think!" Ranma taunted. "Analyze my attack  
patterns and counter them."  
  
"Baka!" she growled. "What do you think I'm doing!? The  
Musabetsu Kakuto style changes constantly, that's one of it's greatest  
strengths."  
  
"Then use the knowledge. You've seen me fight hundreds of  
times."  
  
He leapt toward her again with a thrust kick, which she  
sidestepped. She barely ducked under the arm swing and lanced out with a  
sweep that Ranma hopped over. She in turn, rolled away from a snap kick  
to the head.  
  
Then she saw it, her opening.  
  
Ranma charged again, feinting with a few fast punches. Akane  
saw through it and grabbed the leg that impacted her side. She winced  
with the pain, but ignored it and flipped her feet up in a flash kick  
that impacted Ranma's chest and sent him to the ground. He was already  
jumping up when it hit him, so it wasn't as bad as it could've been.  
  
"It's about time," he grumbled while standing up. "Now, what did  
you see?"  
  
"You were most vulnerable when you kicked, almost as if you  
weren't expecting a counter," she said.  
  
"Good. I faced someone in a dojo in Hokkaido that made that  
mistake." Ranma grinned. "He doesn't make that mistake anymore. Okay, I  
think we're finished with `learning to read your opponent.' Now, we see  
what you've learned in a full sparring session."  
  
Akane gulped and they faced each other. She knew what that  
meant: Ranma would hold little back as he attacked. She assumed the  
casual stance she had seen him use so often. It was her favorite now  
that she learned how to use it. She could easily see why Ranma used it  
so often.  
  
Before they could start however, Ranma froze, then warily  
looked around. "Kuso! We're being surrounded!"  
  
Akane grinned. "Can't fool me like that again!"  
  
"Quiet, tomboy! This is for real, use your senses!"  
  
Akane fumed a bit at his tone of voice, but did extend her ki  
senses... and felt it. Her eyes widened. "Wh-who are they?"  
  
He slowly walked over to her. "Don't know, but they can't be  
friendly. Chikuso, there's a lot of them." He reached her and whispered  
to her. "We're gonna start out walking slowly, then when I give the  
word, we'll have to make it running battle all the way to town."  
  
She nodded. "What about our stuff?"  
  
"We'll have to leave it and hopefully come back for it later.  
Let's go."  
  
They began to walk out of the small clearing where they were  
sparring and entered the forest. All around them, they could hear and  
sense figures moving with them. They walked hand-in-hand as silently and  
as quickly as they could. At first, they made it appear they were  
heading back to camp, then they changed course for the trail to town,  
only to find it blocked by a short old woman who seemed to resemble  
Cologne.  
  
"Now, now, don't leave us yet," she said.  
  
"Who are you and what you want?" Ranma demanded.  
  
"That's no way to speak to your elders, boy. I am Zhao Len,  
matriarch of the Joketzusoku."  
  
"Amazons?" Akane asked in disbelief. "We're finished with them.  
I beat Shampoo, so there's no reason to come after us."  
  
"Ah, but there is," she replied. "That boy knows secrets and  
secret moves of the Amazon tribe. He must come back with us for those  
techniques must never exist outside of our tribe."  
  
"That's ridiculous!" Ranma interjected. "Cologne never said  
anything about that when she taught them to me. And I got news for ya: I  
ain't goin' back."  
  
She shook her head sadly. "I figured you say that, not that it  
makes a difference. [Attack!]"  
  
Dozens of female warriors sprung out of the surrounding forest,  
from the bushes and from the trees, clad in colorful armor and wielding  
various swords, spears and other assorted weaponry. The young couple  
soon found themselves surrounded, all potential exits blocked. Ranma and  
Akane went back to back.  
  
"Remember what I said, running battle back to town," Ranma  
whispered to her. "Just handle this like you did the boys that used to  
attack you every mornin'."  
  
The tide of warriors attacked and the targets went into motion.  
The Amazons were good, but Ranma and Akane (thanks to his training) were  
better. Still, they were hopelessly outnumbered. For every Amazon they  
took down or tossed away, three more took their place.  
  
Ranma gave the signal and the two turned and plowed through a  
section of their  
attackers. They managed to break free and set off running, their enemies  
in hot pursuit. A fluorescent ki blast flew past the retreating pair and  
exploded the ground in front of them. The shockwave from the attack  
forcing the couple to stop and hit the dirt.  
  
When they got back up, they were surrounded once again.  
  
Ranma whispered back to Akane. "Think you can break free? I'm  
gonna try a Hiryu Shoten Ha on them."  
  
"Watch me," she replied. "Mouko Sumat-Su!" She burst into golden  
flame and shot comet-like through the horde.  
  
Ranma leapt into the fray afterward, and began to move around,  
never spending too much time on an opponent, just enough to deliver one  
or two hits. [That's it... Almost there. Don't need to anger anybody,  
there's plenty of battle aura.]  
  
A few of the more experienced Amazons recognized the spiral  
beginning to form and jumped out of the way. Many more didn't.  
  
"Hiryu Shoten Ha!" Ranma let the dragon's whirlwind loose.  
  
The tornado a dozen or of the warriors up and cleared some  
breathing space for Ranma. He noted a second one probably wouldn't work,  
since the Amazons at least knew of the move and would be watching for  
the spiral. He didn't have time to build up a ki-blast... unless he went  
with that new kata.  
  
[It's worth a try,] He thought, then began the motions.  
  
Akane was feeling elated. She was going toe-to-toe with many  
skilled warriors and was holding her own! If the boys at Furinken ever  
got it into their minds to attack her again, they'd be sorry! She noted  
Ranma's tornado and smirked. [Let them suck on that! Uh oh, they're  
getting too close again.]  
  
"Tora Dokiken!" She burst into gold flame in mid-kick, giving  
her target a nasty surprise. She continued to lay into her attackers for  
several seconds, before allowing the enhanced aura to fade. [I can't  
keep this up!]  
  
That's when she felt a tap on her neck.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma neared the end of the kata and executed the final move.  
The kata was specifically designed to allow him the time to charge  
enough ki for an attack. And it worked.  
  
He smiled. [You can't beat me, I'm the best!] "Moko Takabisha  
Perfect!"  
  
The blue ball that formed in his hands expanded to cover him  
completely as he landed from the jump. Several weapons hit the blue  
sphere and bounced off. Punches or kicks that impacted caused the  
unlucky attacker to scream in pain from the harder-than-steel barrier.  
  
Ranma felt the field beginning to destabilize, so he cupped his  
hands outward and let the field energy pour into a wide blue wave that  
he swept from right to left. Some of his opponents managed to leap out  
of the way, but many more were struck and thrown backward by the blast.  
Ranma came out the move and went on the defensive. [I can't risk another  
one of those, it took too much out of me.]  
  
Plus, his confidence waned as he grimly realized they might not  
get out of this.  
  
  
  
  
  
Zhao Len was furious.  
  
What should have been a quick subduing, was turning into a long  
drawn out battle that was rapidly turning ugly. Already the boy had used  
a Hiryu Shoten Ha and a specialized ki blast that she had never seen  
before. The girl was also using moves she didn't recognize.  
  
[I must get both of these two for the tribe!] she decided.  
  
She calmly assessed their strengths and devised a way to end  
it. [The girl! She will work fine!] Zhao Len leapt into the battle and  
wove her way to Akane. When the gold flames died from around the girl's  
body, Zhao moved in and struck the back of her neck with the end of her  
staff. She grinned as Akane fell to the ground.  
  
She signaled the Amazons away, then grabbed the girl and called  
out, "ENOUGH!"  
  
The battlefield froze. Ranma, breathing hard, looked over at  
where the voice was coming from. "Akane!"  
  
"Surrender or this one dies now!" Zhao Len threatened. She hit a  
few points over Akane's heart at the same time. Pain fled across the  
girl's face before Zhao Len repeated the move. Akane relaxed.  
  
"What did you do, you old crone!?" Ranma growled.  
  
"Simple, I stopped her heart for a few seconds," Zhao Len  
explained. "And I can do it again before you can get to me. I am the  
only one who knows how to undo it, so don't get any thoughts of killing  
me. Surrender and she lives. Fight on and she dies."  
  
Ranma gritted his teeth... and surrendered. Someone approached  
from behind and hit a point on his neck. He felt his body go numb as he  
dropped to the ground. The were promptly tied up and tossed in the back  
of a cart.  
  
As the small army departed, Zhao Len jumped into the cart next  
to him. "You did the right thing boy. Keep playing smart, and you and  
the little lady here will live through this."  
  
Ranma could only glare as she hit a few more points on his head  
and he blacked out completely. 


	9. Chapter 9

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 9  
  
  
  
  
  
"They've got them," Nabiki announced to the family gathered in  
the living room.  
  
"Who's got who?" Soun asked.  
  
Nabiki sighed. "The Amazons have Ranma and Akane."  
  
"Oh dear!" Kasumi exclaimed. "How do you know?"  
  
"Because the rangers found their campsite and it was totally  
demolished. My contact said it looked like a warzone, what with the  
amount of trees and rocks destroyed. It showed all the signs of a major  
struggle."  
  
Nobody had anything to say for the next few moments, letting  
silence permeate the room.  
  
"Then it is decided," Kuno said at last. "We go after them.  
Surely they will endeavor to leave the country and we must make haste to  
waylay them from their objective."  
  
"Don't worry, I've got a list of ships that came in from China a  
few days ago," Nabiki stated, waving a sheet of paper. "I've narrowed it  
down and found one that I believe they came in on: the Kobiyashi Maru.  
I've got the port officials searching it right now for, `health and  
safety' reasons. They won't be able to leave for several days."  
  
Natsume fingered her rugbeater staff. "Then we just have to  
find them."  
  
"Yuri and Mousse are out scouting right now," Genma added.  
"Either those two will find them or one of Nabiki's contacts will."  
  
Everyone understood that, and hoped they would be found..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ukyo expertly brushed the moist cloth over the last of the  
countertop as was part of her continual routine. The lunch rush had  
finally ended and they were closed temporarily while she and Selah  
cleaned and prepared for the dinner rush. Quickly finished with her  
task, she took her wet rag back to the kitchen where Selah was doing the  
dishes.  
  
As usual, the younger girl was cheating, using her water magic  
to speed up the job and having fun doing it. Ukyo allowed herself a  
small chuckle. Despite the soakings she had received at the hands of the  
younger girl, Ukyo genuinely did like the vibrant youngster. In fact,  
her addition at Ucchan's brang the chef one step closer to what she  
really wanted: a reall family.  
  
A knock at the front door drew her attention away from Selah's  
antics. "Go away!" she shouted, loud enough so that the person at the  
front door could hear her. "We're closed right now!" She knew it  
couldn't be anyone she knew, since they would come in the back door if  
they needed to see her.  
  
Whoever it was, knocked again anyway. Ukyo walked out into the  
dining room and yelled again, "I said we're closed right now!" [Some  
people just can't take a hint.]  
  
There was another knock and a voice. "Ukyo-sama?"  
  
Ukyo's brow furrowed. [Why does that voice sound familiar?] She  
walked to the door and opened it.  
  
"I said we're-" Ukyo's words died on her lips and her jaw  
dropped. The look was somewhat... different.  
  
But she definitely did recognize the person standing in front  
of her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kenji groaned. [I am sooo stupid,] he berated himself yet  
again.  
  
Last night he had trailed the two women to find the Amazon  
hideout. And find it he did.  
  
They were camped out in the middle of a nearby forest,  
perfectly hidden, just as he was hidden in the shadows. He supposed he  
should have gone home right then, to report on what he found, but  
noooooooo; he just had to sneak into the camp to hear the enemy plans  
and gauge their strength.  
  
It was going well for awhile, and he exhilarated in the feeling  
that we was moving through all these warriors and no one noticed him.  
Then he found the leader's tent. [Great! What luck! I'll just sneak in,  
see who we're up against, learn their plans, and be gone!] he thought.  
  
He should have known that arrogance breeds stupidity.  
  
Oh sure, he got in alright and began to hear what they were  
saying, but it was all in Chinese and he didn't understand a word of it.  
There was this ugly, shrivel old woman there who reminded him of  
Cologne, as well as Shampoo, just as Mousse feared.  
  
Then the old woman stopped speaking. She strode around the  
table and made to walk right past him. As she neared, she thrust out her  
staff with blinding speed and the hidden ninja trainee doubled over from  
the strike to his stomach.. As Kenji hit the ground, he felt a poke at  
the back of his neck and his body went numb.  
  
"Well, what do we have here?" she said in Japanese for his  
benefit. "A ninja spy. Not bad for sneaking in here, but I know your  
tricks and can uncover them."  
  
"What we do with him?" Shampoo asked. "He friend of Ranma."  
  
The old lady grinned. "Then they'll come for him. Maybe we can  
use him as a bargaining chip." She studied him a bit more. "On second  
thought, I've got a better idea. For now, lock him up!"  
  
With that, his world went black. When he finally awoke, he was  
chained up in a cage with several Amazons standing guard. [You just had  
to sneak in. You were so proud of your new trick you thought you could  
get away with it.]  
  
He sat up as best as he could, then noticed a disturbance enter  
the camp. Several warriors appeared, and by the looks of their cuts and  
bruises, he could tell that they had been beaten up pretty badly. A cart  
soon arrived and the old hag who led these Amazons hopped out. Then a  
pair of warriors who were in better shape than their companions, hoisted  
two obviously unconscious forms out of the cart and carried them to  
seperate cages, several meters from his own. His eyes went wide when he  
recognized them.  
  
[Ranma and Akane!] he realized. [They got them!] They were a  
matching pair, with Ranma was in his standard red Chinese shirt, and  
Akane wearing the blue one from the Kodachi episode. Like they really  
belonged together.  
  
He grimaced as they were shackled and chained, then placed in  
cages. They also had a simple looking brace attached snapped around  
their necks. Kenji thought that must be what they put on him, since he  
could feel something there, but couldn't see it. It must be what was  
messing with his ability to draw upon his ki.  
  
He sighed. [Well, great, now what?] He looked up. [Imouto-chan,  
if you can hear me, now's the time to come and save me!]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Yuri sneezed as she arced through the sky and descended on the  
Tendo dojo, Mousse-duck gliding next to her.  
  
While they didn't find what they were looking for, they  
eliminated a vast area where the Amazons weren't. They weren't in Tokyo  
or the surrounding areas; Nabiki's contacts confirmed that. That must  
mean they were in the country somewhere, and not in the open.  
  
Still, that left a great deal of forested areas. Yuri and  
Mousse were able to rule out a couple of likelt places before they began  
to tire.  
  
As she closed in on the yard, she pointed her feet downward and  
cupped her hands, just like her brother showed her. With the yard  
getting nearer, she sent down the counter wind to slow her descent. It  
was working, but not enough. Yuri panicked and changed her course  
somewhat. Instead of landing in the yard, she crashed into the pond.  
  
She surfaced, coughing up water. "Argh! Why can't I land  
right!?" she screamed, mostly to herself.  
  
Needless to say, her scream drew the occupants of the house  
out, as Mousse landed beside her on the ground. He quacked at her in  
question.  
  
"Oh, shut up, Mousse!" she growled. "You've been at this flying  
thing longer and you've got actual wings!" She turned to look at the  
questioning faces of the people around her as she stepped out of the  
pond. "No, we didn't find them!" She shivered. Exasperated, she added,  
"And before I answer any questions, I am GOING to get changed and take a  
warm bath!"  
  
The family parted and let the ninja-girl-in-a-bad-mood pass  
unhindered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"[By the Goddess!]" Zhao Len swore in there native language as  
she shut off the cellular phone. "[We are trapped here for now! Our ship  
is undergoing `health and safety inspections' since we don't have any  
cargo and filed no date as to when we'd be leaving.]" She grumbled and  
looked out of her tent at the Amazons getting medical attention,  
grimacing. "[Also, the raid to capture Ranma couldn't have gone much  
worse. Many warriors will be out of action for quite awhile.]"  
  
"[They found our ship?]" Shampoo said. "[Must be Tendo Nabiki's  
doing. That mercenary girl has ways of finding information.]"  
  
"[Well, we're stuck here for an extra day or two.]" The old  
woman sighed. "[And it's not like they can find us. Maybe we can hold  
the wedding ceremony now. Might as well make the most of it.]"  
  
Shampoo smiled happily. "[Aiyah! Finally, I get to marry  
beloved!]"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Konatsu-chan!?" Ukyo stared in disbelief. The man standing in  
front of her was wearing actually something besides a cute floral  
kimono; jeans and a T-shirt in fact. The make-up was gone, but the long  
hair remained, tied in a pony tail.  
  
"Yes, it's me, Ukyo-sama," he replied.  
  
Ukyo responded by pulling him into the restaurant and wrapping  
her arms around the once-missing male kunoichi. "Where the hell have you  
been!? You had me-all of us- worried sick about you! We thought you were  
dead!"  
  
"Ukyo-sama..." Konatsu passed out from Ukyo's prolonged  
closness.  
  
She released him as his form crumpled to the ground. "Oh no you  
don't!" she told him, smacking his face a few times. "Come on... wakey,  
wakey. You can't pass out on me now!"  
  
He awoke and responded in his familiar demure fashion.  
"Arigato." He took up a postion sitting on one of the stools near the  
grill. "Ah, I guess I should explain where I've been?"  
  
"Yes!" the chef heartily agreed, sitting down opposite him.  
"Definitely! What happened to you after you disappeared back at Mage  
Mountain?"  
  
"Ah yes," he remembered, his eyes closing as he visualized the  
event. "I knocked that boulder out of the way and fell into the pit. I  
descended for some distance, but before I could take some action to save  
myself, I hit the bottom. After that, I blacked out." He paused to open  
his eyes and sip his tea. "The next thing I remember was waking up in a  
bed. An old couple had apparently rescued me and nursed me back to  
health. They told me a couple days had gone by since they found me in a  
forest clearing, but how I got there, I do not know."  
  
He paused for a bit while Ukyo took this in. She got the idea  
that they may never know how he went from the bottom of a rocky abyss to  
a forest clearing  
  
"My mind was rather clouded, and I couldn't recall much,"  
Konatsu continued. "The elderly couple lent me some male clothing, and  
for the next three weeks, that's what I wore. It felt both strange and  
normal, but I did grow to like it. They treated me like boy and, at  
first, I acted like one, but as my memories gradually came back to me, I  
wondered who I really was. Living as a boy for all that time became an  
enlightening experience for me, and I realized I really wasn't a woman."  
  
"Wait a minute," Ukyo interjected. "If you remembered who you  
were after three weeks, where have you been all this time? You've been  
gone for several months!"  
  
He looked down, somewhat ashamed. "I became confused at who I  
really was. I am male, the nice couple helped me realize that. But I was  
raised female.Who was I really?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I  
had to go and find out myself.. But after several more weeks, I was  
still no closer to figuring that out. Then I had a strange feeling that  
I should return and see how everyone was doing."  
  
Ukyo scowled. "You know, you could've called or sent a letter  
or something."  
  
Konastu bowed his head. "I am sorry Ukyo-sama. But, before I  
could face you again, I needed to know who I was. I know you had  
difficulties with me being a girl."  
  
She sighed. "Yeah, I kinda did, I'll admit that. Though I guess  
I can understand. I hid my feminity for so long and became a boy, that  
at times I forgot who I really was." She brightened, laying a hand upon  
his. "Other than that, I found you to be a great friend."  
  
Konatsu's lips finally turned up into a demure smile, even  
while he broke into a very feminine blush. "Arigato again, Ukyo-sama. I  
was pleased to be your friend too, and was very happy you took me in.  
Though I always wanted to be more to you..."  
  
Ukyo retrieved her hand nervously, then stood and faced away,  
the reminder of his feelings towards her turning the reunion into an  
awkward moment. "I-I don't know, and that's really how I feel," she  
answered after a minute of silence. "I don't know who I love. Ranma  
has... made his choice." [Will I ever learn to peacefully accept that?]  
She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "You should know that because  
of your help, we did save Kenji, and he and his sister have been living  
here now. I've grown to care about them, just as I care about you. But  
I'll need time to figure things out. I just don't know right now."  
  
"I understand." Konatsu looked crestfallen, but resigned himself  
to her decision.  
  
The chef looked the kunoichi over, noting that he actually made  
a pretty decent-looking guy. [Why not?] "Tell you what Konatsu-chan,  
after this current mess is over, I'll take you out on a date for old  
times sake. I should at least give it a chance before I make up my mind,  
ne?"  
  
Konatsu nodded happily, then his face showed confusion. "What  
mess?"  
  
"Oh kami, that's right, you don't know!" she exclaimed while  
slapping her forehead. "Well, I guess it's my time to do some  
explaining. Sit back `cause this is a long story!"  
  
Ukyo warmed up the grill while she began to explain the events  
of the past couple of months.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki smiled. [Paydirt!]  
  
Unlike the last time, the internet had proven most helpful for  
her latest task. This time, one of her old contacts that had graduated  
last year had the information she needed. For that, she had completely  
erased his debt.  
  
Apparently, this contact had left home recently to visit some  
relatives who lived out in the country. They had an internet connection  
and, eager to ease or erase his debt, he had reported to Nabiki that he  
had observed many strange women in armor going in and out of a nearby  
forest.  
  
[It's a safe bet that these women in armor are the Amazons we're  
looking for,] she thought to herself while printing out the directions.  
[You can't hide from Nabiki Tendo for long.]  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma was happy.  
  
It was a nice day that found him and Akane walking through the  
park, holding each other's hands. He felt a strange prickling of his  
skin and looked around, spotting Shampoo's approach. A funny feeling  
came over him and, before he could stop it, his hand slashed out.  
Shampoo's body was sliced open and she fell down dead.  
  
Ranma stared at his blood covered hand and wondered why he did  
that. He glanced at Akane who apparently didn't notice.  
  
He turned his head again to see Mousse standing nearby. He  
screamed in rage over the loss of his beloved and charged. Ranma's hand  
swiped again and Mousse joined Shampoo in death.  
  
[What's happening to me!?] he asked himself, utterly horrorfied  
at his actions. [I just killed two people!]  
  
{So? They were a threat.}  
  
Ranma tried to figure out where that other voice was coming  
from, but couldn't since Kuno and Kodachi were now attacking him. Swipe,  
swipe! They too, were sliced opened and died, and this time Akane  
noticed.  
  
"What did you do that for?" she asked, worriedly.  
  
[I don't know!] Ranma tried to say, but no words came out.  
  
Ryoga attacked next. "Ranma you murderer!" he yelled. Swipe!  
  
Akari came out. "You killed my Ryo-chan!"  
  
Ranma opened his mouth, but again nothing came out. Swipe!  
Akane backed away some.  
  
"What are you doing?" she cried. "Stop it!"  
  
"Ranma, my boy, you have to learn control!" said his father.  
  
Ranma turned to see his father, Soun, Nabiki, and Kasumi.  
Swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe. They too died. [No! Not Kasumi too! What's  
happening to me! Why am I killing my friends!?]  
  
{You have no friends, you need no friends. You have your mate  
and you have me.}  
  
[Who are you?]  
  
No answer.  
  
Ucchan arrived next, then Kenji and Yuri. Everyone he ever knew  
tried to stop him, and he killed them all. Akane was in tears now.  
  
{They are dealt with. Take her}  
  
Ranma tried to resist, but his body knocked over Akane and  
landed on top of her. He began to lick her face and preen her hair as he  
swiped off her clothing. Ranma summoned up all of his willpower and  
strength to stop what he was about to do. He looked down at Akane and  
saw her looking up at him with fear in her eyes. Then, for a second, and  
image of a tiger replace her face. Ranma's body recoiled and swiped at  
the image.  
  
Akane screamed.  
  
Ranma screamed.  
  
Akane was dead.  
  
[What have I done!? That voice! That's the one who did this!]  
  
{Very good. I did.}  
  
[Why?] Everything faded from view until all was blackness.  
  
{To protect you from those who would do you harm.}  
  
Ranma turned around and saw himself. Well, it woul'd have been  
him, except for the cat's nose, cat ears, and a twitching tail. [But  
they're my friends! Akane is my fiancee! I love her and she loves me!  
She would never hurt me!]  
  
It shrugged. {You're probably right, but I sense something  
about her, something feline, and yet avian at the same time.}  
  
[You're crazy! Who are you? Where did you come from?]  
  
{You created me.} Ranma stared, shocked in unbelief. {Yes,  
remember? Back when your father threw you into the pit of cats again and  
again? You couldn't take it anymore and you wanted to fight back. The  
part of your mind that studies opponents and develops techniques to  
counter them watched the cats. It figured out all of their moves. But  
because your concious mind was too scared to comprehend and use the  
information, your subconscious created me and gave me the techniques.}  
  
[No, no, no, no...]  
  
{Yes. And so when you're concious mind is afraid, I take over  
for you. But since the only time you become truly afraid is when cats  
are around, that is the only time I'm can come forth.}  
  
[Wh-why are we talking now?]  
  
{Because your fear of cats is dwindling. Our mate helped with  
that. That, and you have begun to realize my presence. You also wanted  
to have a talk with me, did you not?}  
  
[Yes, I did. But I don't want to hurt anyone! I'm not a killer!]  
  
{What about Saffron?}  
  
Ranma was taken aback. [He-he almost killed Akane! She would  
have if I hadn't killed him! It was him or Akane! Besides, he didn't  
really die!]  
  
{But how will we protect ourselves?}  
  
[We trust our friends. They don't need to be killed to be  
rendered not a threat.] His face hardened. [Killing is not something  
that should be done on the spur of the moment!]  
  
{Are you sure?}  
  
[YES!]  
  
It seemed to think on this a moment. {Very well. Since I am part  
of you, I serve to protect the body we share.}  
  
[I-I know, and you have quite a few times. But, let me make the  
life or death decisions.]  
  
{Then I shall go} Neko-Ranma began to walk away.  
  
[Just like that? You're going away?]  
  
{Not really and not just yet. I will hang around until your fear  
of cats is completely gone. When that happens, we will become one. But,  
I may partially lend you my skills and techniques to use from time to  
time. However, I will also watch. If you are in danger and are unable to  
do anything, I may return. Understand?}  
  
[Yes I do. And thanks for trusting me.]  
  
Neko-Ranma smirked. {You are me after all. Now go. There is  
someone who wants to talk with you.} And he was gone.  
  
"Ranma?" Akane appeared before him.  
  
"Akane? You're alive!"  
  
"Ranma!  
  
"Akane!"  
  
"Ranma! Wake up!"  
  
Ranma's eyes jerked open. "Akane?" he mumbled.  
  
"Ranma!" Akane called. "Are you alright?"  
  
Ranma looked around, and for the first time, saw where he was.  
He was wrapped in chains and laying inside a steel cage. He worked his  
way to his knees and saw Akane in a similiar position in a cage nearby.  
Several Amazon were standing guard, but apparently didn't care that the  
prisoners were talking to each other.  
  
"Oy, I have such a headache," Ranma complained.  
  
"Well, at least you're alive, Baka," Akane replied.  
  
"At least I have you nearby to annoy me, tomboy," Ranma  
retorted.  
  
[Gotta work on those pet names,] they thought in unison.  
  
"So, how are ya?" Ranma asked.  
  
Akane sighed. "Besides being chained in a cage by a bunch of  
Amazons and without the ability to use my ki, just peachy."  
  
"No ki?" Ranma asked. She nodded. Ranma tried to summon his, but  
nothing came. "That's odd."  
  
"Kenji-kun said it's probably the work of these collars we're  
wearing," Akane explained. When he got a questioning look on his face,  
she gestured in a direction to where the ninja trainee was laying down  
in a cage. "He's asleep at the moment so I think we should just let him  
rest."  
  
"How'd he get here?"  
  
Akane sighed. "He snuck into camp using some new ninja  
invisibilty thing and was caught by the old woman. Her name is Zhao Len  
by the way. Shampoo's here too."  
  
"That was stupid of him." He blinked. "Shampoo's here?"  
  
"Yeah, she's in on it, though Kenji-kun couldn't figure out  
why." Akane shook her head. "By the way, it looked like you were having  
some sort of nightmare. You looked extremely disturbed for awhile, then  
settled down. Care to talk about it?"  
  
Ranma shook his head. [I can't tell her about that!] "Naw.  
Besides, it didn't bother me none."  
  
"Idiot!" she growled. "I was only trying to help!"  
  
"Like I need-" Ranma stopped himself and looked down. "Sorry."  
  
Akane sighed. [Control.] "Ranma, it looked and sounded like a  
pretty intense nightmare. Those are the kind that you need to talk to  
someone about. And I am your fiancee and I love you, so I'd like it if  
you could talk to me? Please?"  
  
Now it was Ranma's turn to sigh. "I dunno, if I can-" He  
shrugged. [I guess I can tell her about the second half of the dream.]  
"I met my cat side, I think. At least I think I did. It was probably  
just a crazy dream."  
  
"What did you talk about?" she asked, intrigued.  
  
"Well, we talked about why he's there, where he came from, why  
he does what he does. He said I created him when I was tossed into the  
pit of cats by Oyaji. When they're around and I become, uh, nervous, he  
takes over.  
  
"Anything else you talked about?"  
  
"Well, he said he'd go away completely when I got over my fear  
of cats, but in the meantime, he might help me out from time-to-time by  
letting me use part of the Nekoken without goin' cat."  
  
"Can you really use those skills and abilities he talked about?"  
she asked, hoping that he could use them to free himself. She had seen  
those ki-claws cut through steel, so the chains and cages would be  
child's play.  
  
He tried. "Doesn't look like it. Of course, the collars could  
have something ta do with it."  
  
"Oh well. We'll just have to think of some other way out of  
here." She looked up to see a procession of Amazons approaching, Zhao  
Len and Shampoo at the head.  
  
They stopped in front of Ranma's cage and Zhao Len grinned  
evilly. "Congratulations Ranma, you're getting married!"  
  
Ranma and Akane eyeswidened, while Shampoo smiled happily. 


	10. Chapter 10

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 10  
  
  
  
  
  
Two vans (courtesy of Kuno) drove down the dusty road and  
pulled up short of entering the forest. The side doors opened up and  
disgorged a group of ten people who checked themselves over, did  
stretches and in general got ready. Sasuke exited one van via the  
driver's side door and Soun Tendo, the other.  
  
Genma finished getting the kinks out of his muscles through the  
one hour journey to this location and looked around at the assembled  
group. [They may be just kids, but their some of the strongest martial  
artists I have ever known.] He forwned. [Yet, if what Mousse says is  
true, we are probably going up against group of battle-trained warriors  
that could outnumber us by as much as 8 to 1.]  
  
His gaze wandered over each of the members of the war party.  
[My old friend, Soun, dressed up in his old samurai armor and using his  
favorite naginata. He rarely uses them, except in the most dangerous  
circumstances. Tatewaki Kuno and Sasuke, who demanded to come once Kuno  
found out that Akane was taken, and Ryoga, who pretty much felt the  
same.]  
  
Next came the Ucchan group. [Ukyo, Konatsu, and Yuri. It's a  
good thing they were able to convince Selah to stay home this time.  
Natsume, and Kurumi, who wanted to further test their skills and help.  
And lastly, Mousse, LinLin, and RanRan; can we trust them?] He sighed.  
[I don't know, yet I'm supposed to lead this group?]  
  
His memory wandered back several hours ago...  
  
"Genma, they are just children!" Nodoka pleaded. "You are  
sending them in against a group of savage Amazons!"  
  
He turned to her. "What other choice do we have, Nodoka? Our  
son and his fiancee are being held by them. We have to get them back and  
somehow I doubt that's going to happen without a fight. They may be  
young but this group contains some of the best martial artists I've  
seen."  
  
His wife turned away from him, sighing in resignation. "Genma.  
I-I know you're doing the right thing, I just... I just wish there was  
another way."  
  
"No-chan..."  
  
She turned back to him. "I am proud of you. These past few  
months I have begun to see the Genma Saotome I fell in love with. The  
situations seemed dangerous, yet you aquitted yourself well." She  
approached and kissed him on the cheek. "Bring them home Genma. Promise  
me that."  
  
"I promise I will, No-chan."  
  
  
  
His gaze now turned toward the forest where Ranma, Akane, and  
most likely Kenji, waited to be rescued. They had to succeed or lose  
them.  
  
They were as ready as they ever were. Now he just had to hope  
Nabiki's contact  
was right when he said he saw women in armor going in and out of this  
forest.  
  
At his call, they assembled. "Okay, this is it. My son, Akane,  
and probably Kenji are hostages in there. We can't do much unless we  
know they are safe. To this end, Konatsu-san, Yuri-san, and Sasuke-san,  
you will scout ahead and determine enemy patrols and the location of the  
hostages. Find them and report back."  
  
The trio of ninjas nodded fervently.  
  
Genma turned to address everyone else. "If it comes to a fight,  
and I'm sure it will, then Tofu-sensei will hang back. If you see  
somebody go down, try to extract them and signal for the good doctor and  
he'll try to get them going again. That's all I have to say, other than  
try to Ryoga pointed in the right direction." Ryoga turned red faced at  
that while everyone laughed. "Okay, let's move out."  
  
The brave war party entered the forest.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are they going to be alright?" Akari asked as Kasumi served  
tea. The woman were gathered at the Tendo dojo, waiting for their  
warriors to return. The group consisted of Nodoka, Kasumi, Nabiki,  
Akari, and Selah.  
  
Nodoka smiled. "Of course dear. They are martial artists,  
warriors from a proud tradition. We have to trust that they will do what  
is right." She took a sip of tea. "I realized that when I married a  
martial artist. I knew that Genma would go away from time to time to  
help those in need." She looked down. "In the back of my mind there was  
a nagging doubt that he wouldn't return. But I forced it down with the  
knowledge that if he died, it was because he did so defending and  
helping others."  
  
Her voice became softer as Akari listened intently. "When he  
took Ranma away to train, I knew it was to teach him what he needed to  
know to help those in need. That's one of the reasons I accepted that  
seppuku pledge. I wanted to make sure he was man enough to use the  
skills he learned to help people, instead of personal gain."  
  
"I guess Saotome-ojisan failed in that regard," Nabiki said. "He  
did plenty of things for personal gain."  
  
Nodoka fixed her with a look. "As you have done plenty of  
things for personal gain. Or personal financial gain, I should say?"  
Nabiki opened her mouth, but nothing came out "I've heard about some of  
the things you do to get that money, like selling semi-nude pictures of  
my son's female side? Genma may not have been a saint, but he did do it  
to survive on the road so that training Ranma was possible. And not all  
of the things he did were wrong. He did hold several jobs as he was  
traveling around and Ranma did attend school. And when it comes down to  
it, he will try to help those in need."  
  
Nabiki hung her head. "I guess you're right, gomen obasama."  
  
Nodoka smiled. "That's alright, dear."  
  
Selah ate another cookie in silence. [I hope they can rescue  
Kenji-chan. Maybe I should've gone.] She sighed. [Well, it's too late  
now...]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He's WHAT!?" Akane yelled when she recovered.  
  
"He's getting married to Shampoo," Zhao Len clarified, then  
tapped her chin thoughtfully. "And maybe a few others as well. Good men  
are hard to find..."  
  
Ranma recovered from his shock. "The only person I'm marryin'  
is Akane!" The girl in question swelled with pride, while Shampoo  
scowled.  
  
"Airen no marry pervert-girl!" she screamed. "Airen marry strong  
woman!"  
  
"This `pervert-girl' kicked your butt and can do it again!"  
Akane growled.  
  
Shampoo nearly went off the hilt and attacked Akane, but was  
held back by Zhao Len.  
  
"What have you done to Shampoo?" Ranma asked. "She may be allota  
things, but she has some honor and Akane did beat her in a fair fight. I  
thought Amazon Law states I'm hands off."  
  
Zhao Len grinned evily. "And you also defeated numorous Amazons  
a short time ago. By Amazon Law, you now have multiple wives."  
  
Shampoo scowled at this and turned to the old woman. "[You said  
that Ranma would mine!]"  
  
"[Yes I did,]" she replied. "[An he will be. But you know as  
well as I that we need to breed strong male fighters to many Amazons in  
order to strengthen the tribe.]"  
  
Ranma watched the exchange, and though he couldn't understand,  
it was obvious that Shampoo didn't like what was going on. He said as  
much.  
  
"It does not matter!" the old woman retorted angrily. "You are  
merely a male and will be wed before the day is out!" She turned, said a  
few words in Chinese to some Amazons standing nearby, then turned and  
left with Shampoo.  
  
Ranma's cage was picked up by several of the female warriors,  
and he found himself following the Amazon elder.  
  
"Ranma!" Akane called out.  
  
"I'll be back, Akane," he said. "I ain't marryin' no Amazon  
today."  
  
Akane nodded, then grinned. "Wo Ai Ni, Airen!"  
  
Her admission caused Shampoo to seethe and Ranma to grin.  
[We'll beat them, we've come too far for to be stopped now,] their  
thoughts ran strangely in unison.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kenji woke up in time to see Ranma carted off. "What's goin' on  
now?"  
  
Akane turned to him. "They got some crazy idea to marry Ranma  
off to Shampoo, and maybe a few others."  
  
Kenji blinked. "I thought Shampoo gave up. Wait a minute, `a  
few others'? Do they practice polgamy?"  
  
She sighed. "Probably not. More like breeding."  
  
Kenji's mind reeled at the thought of Ranma getting it on with  
multiple beautiful Amazon women. He then tried desperately to shoo that  
thought out of his mind in an attempt to stop the nosebleed he was  
developing. He wasn't totally successful.  
  
"At any rate, we gotta think of a way to escape," he said at  
last. "There's a very good chance our friends haven't a clue where we  
are."  
  
"I've been thinking along those same lines," Akane replied. "And  
I think I have an idea. Listen, do you hear something?"  
  
Kenji strained his ears. He did hear something. He wondered why  
he didn't hear it before, but then realized that now since he had some  
time to rest and recover, his senses were more alert. "Sounds like a  
stream nearby, but where?"  
  
"I think it's somewhere behind us, outside the camp. If you can  
get to it..."  
  
"I can change into a wolf and get out of the chains, maybe the  
collar too," He finished, then sighed. "Two problems: the Amazons won't  
let me get that far, and I'd still be stuck in the cage."  
  
Akane looked downcast. "You're right of course, we need some  
type of distraction."  
  
"Hey, from every thing you've told me about these Amazons, they  
respect strength, right?" He asked, to which she nodded. "So why are you  
still locked up? You beat Shampoo and then fought against multiple  
Amazons before being captured. That's gotta mean something."  
  
"Maybe, but these Amazons," she said, nodding toward the guards,  
"won't talk or listen to me. That is, even if they understand Japenese."  
  
"Well, we gotta think of something, or else your fiance will  
soon be a married man. And not to you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Yuri bounded effortlessly through the trees, going from branch  
to branch. It had been almost an hour and not one sign of an Amazon or  
Kenji. It was becoming so frustrating. What if Nabiki's contact was  
mistaken? What if he was paid off by the Amazons to lead them here while  
the real camp was elsewhere? What if they had moved?  
  
So many what ifs assualted her mind as her confidence of  
finding her brother waned.  
  
Sasuke was determined to make up for his past failures. Several  
times now he had failed the Kuno family and nearly gotten someone  
killed. First, when he was unable to protect master Kuno against the  
demon that enslaved his masters' minds minds. And again, when Kodachi  
almost killed Akane, and then when his mistress had captured both him  
and Ranma. He knew it couldn't be totally his mistress's fault; it had  
to be some remnant of the demon.  
  
He shuddered. All those years that thing had been living in the  
Kuno ancestral home and he never knew it. He could've done somthing  
about it, but had only failed. That was why his usual clumsiness was  
gone, replaced by a fierce sense of determination and purpose.  
  
Konatsu felt great. He was back in action and reunited with his  
friends. He had discovered his manhood and was determined to explore it.  
He may have been raised a girl, but people can change. Ukyo had promised  
him a date and she wasn't currently seeing anyone. That surprised him;  
he would've thought she and Kenji would be an item.  
  
But he was happy to have a chance, and maybe rescuing Kenji  
(yet again) would cause her to look more favorably on him.  
  
  
  
  
  
"This ain't gonna work, Shampoo," Ranma tried to explain to the  
perky Amazon. He was sitting in a tent now, minus the cage but still  
wrapped in chains and collared. Shampoo was the only one inside,  
gettting ready for the wedding. "The only girl I'm marryin' is Akane.  
Nothing you say or do is gonna change that."  
  
"Is okay, Ranma," the Amazon told him, while completing her  
makeup. "Shampoo know you come to love her in time."  
  
Ranma sighed. "You just don't get it, do ya? What makes you  
think that?" A scary thought popped into Ranma's mind, answering that  
question almost as soon as he said it. "I hope you ain't thinkin' of  
usin' some magic or somethin' to mess with my mind." Shampoo didn't say  
anything, but she did stiffen slightly. "Come on, Shampoo! You mess with  
my mind and what you get won't be me, just a an imitation! I've never  
gonna love you the way you want."  
  
"YOU LIE!" she screamed. "Why can't airen just accept!? Is all  
Shampoo wanted; to be loved by strong man. Shampoo be anything for you!  
Is strong fighter, good cook, have nice body. I make you happy!"  
  
Ranma's eyes narrowed. "You can't be Akane."  
  
Shampoo looked at him as tears began to form. [No! I won't let  
him see me cry! That is a weakness.] She couldn't stop the tears  
however, so she ran from the tent.  
  
Outside, she ran into Zhao Len. "What is it, child?"  
  
Shampoo fought back her tears. "Pervert-girl have some hold  
over airen! He say he no love me."  
  
"There, there girl. Ranma will come to love you. You have so  
much to offer. Once he sees this, he realize what a fool he's been. Now  
come, I have once more task for you before the ceremony, and it concerns  
our two other captives. We may be able to use them." She hopped up on  
her staff, the way Cologne used to do, and whispered in the young girls  
ear.  
  
After she was done, Shampoo nodded and dashed off. Zhao Len  
allowed herself a wicked grin. [Soon, all will be as I have forseen.]  
  
  
  
  
  
Sasuske couldn't believe his luck, he had found them! The small  
ninja was concealed high in a tree and the Amazon camp stretched out  
before him.  
  
He gulped. There were a ton of warriors here, way too many  
warriors; he easily counted fifty or more. On the other side of the  
camp, he saw Akane and Kenji being led off into a tent by Shampoo. There  
was no sign of Ranma, but he did see an old woman who looked a lot like  
Cologne directing things.  
  
Having gathered as much information as he could, he decided it  
was time to report back. Now, if he could just find the others.  
  
As he leapt away, he hit a switch on his belt. This would  
activate beepers on the two other ninja and Soun. They were set to  
vibrate, so there would be no noise. Instead, it would let them know  
their target had been found and to rendezvous. The small homing device  
the elder Tendo carried would point him the correct direction.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma sighed. Try as he like, he couldn't see any way out of  
this situation. [No, there's always a way! I just have to find it.]  
  
He was now sitting outside in a clearing in the middle of the  
camp. Various Amazons were gathering around as they waited for the  
ceremony to begin. As he scanned the crowd, he noted Shampoo and Zhao  
Len approaching. Behind them, strode Akane and Kenji.  
  
He blinked. [What the? They're no longer chained and the  
collars are gone. Kenji looks bored and Akane looks... smug?] They stood  
nearby as Shampoo and Zhao Len stood next to him.  
  
"Akane! Kenji! Are you guys okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" Kenji said nonchalantly.  
  
Akane looked menacingly at him. "Why do you care!? I just want  
this ceremony over and done with. I can't believe I actually liked you."  
She shivered.  
  
"Akane?" Ranma asked, confused. [Is this some sort of plan you  
two have concocted? It doesn't feel like it...]  
  
"Don't waste your time," Zhao Len interjected. "They have seen  
the light and now reject you." She looked up. "Isn't that right, Akane?  
Do you love this man?"  
  
"Of course not! It was all our parent's idea, I don't care if  
Shampoo marries the baka!"  
  
Ranma was stunned, but a part of him noticed she still wore the  
engagement ring. "No... That can't be you... What have you done to  
her!?"  
  
Zhao Len merely grinned. "Shall we begin?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Is this the little girl parade?" Genma called, loud enough for  
the camp to hear, using the dreaded and fearsome Hell Hound Yell  
technique. "I've come to see why this pack of mere women are pretending  
to be warriors!" Even if they couldn't understand Japenese, they  
definitely understood the leering tone. "If you're not up to challenging  
this lowly man, I'll understand."  
  
There were several angry retorts from the Amazon camp and  
various warriors grabbed their weapons and headed for the disturbance.  
As they neared the source, Ryoga rose from the bushes, courage filling  
him.  
  
"Shishi Hokoridan!"  
  
The comet blast of red and white ki lanced out into the pack of  
onrushing warriors, breaking them up and sending more than a few ducking  
for cover. To Genma's eye, there were still way too many and he decided  
to do something he never swore he'd do again. [I also swore I'd bring  
them back, No-chan, and that's what I intend to do.]  
  
"Kijin Rashuu-Dan!"  
  
He jumped into the air and released a barrage of vacuum blades  
from the Yamesenken school of techniques he developed long ago. Genma  
closed his eyes for a second to try and force out the screams of women  
suffering severe lacerations and suffering nasty contusions from the  
deadly move. His eyes then flicked open again and he prepared for the  
attack.  
  
  
  
  
  
At the wedding site, Zhao Len was interrupted by the explosions  
and screaming coming from one side of the camp. There was more shouting  
and commands being issued as the word was passed that they were under  
attack. A lone Amazon approached the elder matriarch and whispered in  
her ear.  
  
"Then deal with it!" she shouted. "There can't be more than a  
few attackers! We are Amazons, we fear no one!" The warrior left  
quickly.  
  
"Looks like the party's over, ghoul," Ranma saud, smirking. "You  
should run now while you still have your life."  
  
"Shut up! I think you'll find our warriors more than a match for  
your pitiful friends." She took a deep breath. "Now, shall we continue?  
Shan Pu, do you take this male to be..."  
  
Ranma tuned her out and turned his attention to a woman  
standing a few feet away. "Akane, aren't you going to do anything?"  
  
"Why would I want to? I hate you!"  
  
Ranma sighed, and tried to ignore the stunning shock that  
phrase did to his insides. [They did do something to you. What? Akane,  
what's wrong with you!]  
  
Akane clutched her head. "Stop it!" she screamed. "Get out of  
my head!"  
  
Ranma blinked. [Get out of your head?]  
  
"YES!" she yelled even louder. "Stop it!" By this time, the  
ceremony was stopped again as all attention turned toward the screaming  
woman.  
  
Ranma was confused at the moment, but a thought hit him.  
[Akane, you have to listen to me! I love you and need your help! What  
happened to your promise to fight for me?]  
  
A thought returned to him and it was in Akane's voice. [R-  
Ranma?]  
  
Akane continued to clutch her head and wail. Ranma didn't  
understand how, but if he concentrated, he discovered he could send his  
thoughts to Akane. And some part of Akane that remembered him, was  
starting to talk back.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ukyo wished for a better battle partner. ANYBODY besides Kuno.  
While he may be back among the sane, that hadn't stopped his poetry nor  
his penchant for archaic talk.  
  
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!" he cried, swinging his  
bokken magnificantly. While he may not be the best martial artist of the  
Nermia group, he had practiced many different sword forms and could  
wield it like an extension of himself. His wooden sword sliced and  
shredded armor and weapons alike.  
  
Ukyo groaned and let loose another flight of charged spatulas.  
These Amazons were very good. She had seen several use techniques such  
as the bakusai tenketsu and amaguriken; even a few ki attacks.  
Fortunately, they didn't seem widespread. She sensed an incoming ki  
attack and stood ready to receive it.  
  
[Here goes nothin'!]  
  
  
  
  
  
The scrolls that her grandfather had given her had taught her  
how to channel her creative ki energies into her spatula. She had  
already been unconsciouly using her ki when she cooked, that's what made  
her okonomiyaki turn out so well.  
  
But conciously focusing on her battle spatula, had made it  
nearly unbreakable and extremely light (and adding a nifty light,  
glowing shade of green as well). When she charged her throwing spatulas,  
they became unstable enough to shatter upon impact after being thrown.  
  
That was all she was able to learn before the assault on  
Krynn's compound. There was one more technique in the scroll, but there  
had been a problem learning it. It required an actual attack be directed  
against her before she knew if it would work.  
  
Like now.  
  
She charged her battle spatula, pivoted and brought it up to  
block. There was a flash as the ki-blast impacted, then seemingly  
disappeared. Ukyo continued to rotate from the force of the attack,  
bringing her battle spatula back around. However, this time it was  
glowing a bright white.  
  
"Hot Plate Special!" she yelled as she swung her huge weapon  
forward like a batter hitting a home run. The attack that her ki-charged  
spatula absorbed, launched back towards it's orignial sender. The  
surprised Amazon who launched the attack was so shocked, she didn't even  
move as her own ki attack slammed into her.  
  
[Yatta!]  
  
Ukyo didn't have any more time to celebrate as several more  
Amazons closed in and she was forced to throw a flour bomb. Under the  
cover of the smoke screen, she withdrew and noted with relief that Kuno  
had the good instincts to follow her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Nibai Bakusai Tenketsu Ha!"  
  
Ryoga drove two fingers into the ground and two waves of  
exploding ground traveled out from him at 45 degree angles. He noted  
with satisfaction that numorous Amazons were thrown to the ground and  
the rest stepped back. That left enough time and space for his two  
partners to start their attack.  
  
Kurumi set it up by twirling her ribbon in a horizontal spiral  
and charging it with fire ki. Natsume gathered her cold ki into the end  
of her rugbeater staff and released it into the ribbon tunnel.  
  
"Ring of Dragon Fire!" The elder sister called out as the ki  
energies mixed and formed a fairly large blast of blue flame. It plowed  
through it's targets and sent Amazons diving for cover.  
  
Yet more warriors stepped up to cover for their sisters,  
however, forcing the trio to retreat.  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyone continued to watch as Akane fought herself in an  
internal battle. Zhao Len looked at the way Ranma was watching Akane and  
slowly came to realize what was happening, and the thought disgusted her  
as well as filling her with a deep sense of dread. The couple was  
actually aware of each other on the soul level, and because of the mind-  
controlling effects Zhao Len had placed on Akane, a side effect had  
opened a weak telepathic link. [But why would their souls be so aware of  
each other? They haven't known each other for very long; a year or two  
at most!]  
  
But before she could do anything about the situation, Ranma  
yelled, "Come on ya macho chick! I mean, how uncute can ya get!?"  
  
Akane screamed and looked up at him. "Ranma..." Her fierce  
crimson battle aura flamed into existance around her. "no..." A ball of  
ki formed in her hands. "BAKA!" She thrust her hands foreward and threw  
the energy at her fiance.  
  
Ranma was flung violently backwards as the ki blast ripped in  
to him. When it was over, Akane dropped to her knees, shock covering her  
face and trembling slightly. "Ranma? No... What have I done?" She stared  
at Ranma's smoking form lying several feet away. The looks on everyone's  
faces ranged from mildly entertained (Kenji) to shock (Zhao Len) to fear  
(Shampoo).  
  
As Akane's tears began to flow, Ranma stirred. "You did...  
exactly what I... wanted you too." He slowly got to his feet, minus the  
chains and collar, destroyed in the blast. He glared at the Amazons  
around him, daring them to approach as he cracked his knuckles. "Now,  
you gonna let us go, or am I gonna have to get nasty?" He directed the  
last comment mainly to a stunned Zhao Len.  
  
Unfortuantately, nothing could shock her for long and she  
recovered. "We shall see. Kenji-san, get him!"  
  
The mildy bored ninja jumped to attention and launched himself  
at surprised Ranma.  
  
  
  
  
  
Soun was grateful for the armor. He had taken several blows  
that would've crippled him had he not been wearing it. He promised  
himself that if he ever got out of this, he would become Ranma's student  
and devote himself to improving his abilities.  
  
Still, with his old friend Genma at his back, they were  
managing to hold their own. Now if only they could get some breathing  
room. Soun inwardly smiled as he thought of at least one trick he could  
try.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME!?" Soun launched into Full Demon  
Head Mode.  
  
That stunned their attackers long enough for Genma to do some  
damage and then for the two of them to retreat.  
  
"I have to admit, you still got it, Tendo."  
  
"Why thank you, Saotome."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Konatsu was keeping an eye on Ukyo. With Kuno as a fighting  
partner, he was justifiably worried about her. Fortunately, Sasuke  
seemed to be helping his master even though Kuno was almost oblivious to  
his actions. That left Konatsu to look after Ukyo.  
  
He sent a whirlwind of ninja stars into the attacking Amazons,  
then drew his takemitsu. This time he knew he was holding the bamboo  
sword, but that didn't bother him. He was Konatsu Kenzen, kunoichi, and  
he could use this sword just as well as a real one. He flung himself  
into the fray and drove off a three-Amazon charge to Ukyo's flank.  
  
He then jumped back, looked across the line, and despaired.  
  
Despite the initial successes of long range attacks and  
withdraws, there were still way too many and it was telling. All through  
the forest, they were becoming engulfed by the waves of Amazon warriors.  
No longer could they easily retreat.  
  
As good as the Nerima combat team was, they couldn't last much  
longer. 


	11. Chapter 11

Ranma 1/2: New Challenges  
Trouble with a Capital `A'  
  
Chapter 11  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma continued to dodge as Kenji pressed his attacks. The  
ninja boy had gotten a lot better, Ranma was forced to admit, and was  
going all out. Ranma was also still a bit sore from Akane's powerful ki  
blast and he had no real desire to hurt Kenji, just stop him. If he  
could only figure out what was making him act like this.  
  
A hit! The pig-tailed martial artist took a blow to the side  
and stumbled as Kenji got a few more vicious attacks in. Ranma recovered  
and silently apologized for what he was about to do. He struck out with  
a quick and powerful 7-hit combo that sent Kenji reeling. As he fell  
back, the ninja let loose a spread of shuriken that forced Ranma to back  
off.  
  
Nearby, Akane was just coming to grips with what had been  
happening. [I almost killed Ranma... Why? What was I thinking? What  
happened to me? Last thing I remember was them putting something on  
me...]  
  
Instinctively she reached her hand up and pulled an object off  
her forehead. It was some sort of small circlet with a now cracked and  
broken gemstone set in the middle. [This is what they were using on me?  
This is how they controlled me?] She looked up to see Ranma fighting  
with Kenji. [Wait a minute, Kenji was with me when they...]  
  
"Ranma!" she yelled. "There's something on his forehead that's  
controlling him!" Ranma yelled back his thanks.  
  
Zhao Len frowned; this was not going well. The Tendo girl had  
somehow broken her mind control with Ranma's help and just announced how  
to free the Soyokaze boy. She knew the ninja boy was good, but also knew  
Ranma was better. It would just be a matter of time before the Saotome  
kid focused his attentions on her.  
  
Time to act.  
  
She sent Akane to dreamland with a tap, then jostled Shampoo  
out of her confused state. "Grab the Tendo girl and let's go. We'll  
finish this another day. As long as we have her, Ranma will come to us  
on our terms." Shampoo dimly nodded and scooped her rival up.  
  
"Akane!" Ranma yelled and tried to go after her, only to be  
blocked by Kenji. "I don't wanna hurt you `cause I know you ain't  
yourself, but I gotta save Akane."  
  
"Shut up," Kenji growled, drawing out his battle Bo.  
  
Utilizing his incredible speed, Ranma charged forward with his  
chestnut fist; only to be blown back by a wind blast before he  
connected. He hit the ground and rolled as the staff came down, then  
kicked out and knocked the weapon from his hands. Kenji replaced it with  
his 14" wakizashu.  
  
"'Niichan!"  
  
Ranma glanced over to see a pair of figures running toward him.  
The one who had called out was Yuri, the other was... Mousse?  
  
"Shampoo!" he cried. [I'm sorry, but I can't let you do this!]  
He sent out a few chains that wrapped around the retreating Amazon's  
feet, tripping her up. Zhao Len turned and swore.  
  
Ranma gritted his teeth as Kenji attacked at full speed with  
the deadly weapon he was now using.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tofu had watched the battle from a distance. At first it had  
gone well, but now he was losing sight of his friends in the mad melee.  
The part of him that was a doctor warred with the part that was a  
martial artist. He knew he should only help save life and not cause  
harm, but if he did nothing, then more life would possibly be lost. He  
sighed and charged foreward.  
  
Reaching the battle, he waded in, rapidly striking various  
pressure points to disable arms, legs, or even send a few Amazons to  
dream land. He worked as fast as he could in an effort to relieve the  
pressure on the others.  
  
  
  
  
  
All across the battle, things were definitely not going well.  
No one was untouched and several were bleeding from gashes or limping  
from injured limbs. Ukyo went down with a blow to the head and Konatsu  
had to fight his way to her. Kuno's bokken was finally broken and he  
drew his katana to cover the chef.  
  
Sasuke tossed his last ninja stars, pulled out his sai, and  
limped closer to fight alongside his master.  
  
  
  
  
Soun was down on one knee, a large gash on his leg making  
movement impossible. Genma had pulled out a few more of his forbidden  
technques, but that didn't stop the fact that he was getting tired and  
making mistakes; costly mistakes.  
  
An arrow landed into his right arm and he felt his strength  
wane.  
  
  
  
  
Ryoga had lost sight of the two girls who were fighting with  
him.  
  
Last he knew , Natsume was down and her sister was madly  
fighting to protect her, her fire ki charged ribbon flashing around. His  
umbrella and belt were gone and, surprisingly, he was out of bandannas.  
He had taken hundreds of blows, yet he still continued on; the Hibiki  
toughness and stubborness factor keeping him going.  
  
Despair began to set in as he realized he may be the only one  
standing and he might never see Akari again. An old feeling returned in  
force as he felt the depression in his breast explode. [Akari, I'm  
sorry...]  
  
"FULL SHISHI HOUKODAN!"  
  
  
  
  
  
The teacup in front of Akari wobbled and fell to the floor. As  
it shattered, Katsunishki squealed loudly from where he was outside.  
Akari suddenly and inexplicably became incredibly afraid, and began to  
cry.  
  
Nodoka tried to comfort the girl. "There, there, it's okay."  
  
"No, it's not," Akari said throught sobs. "Something terrible's  
happened to Ryoga, I know it!"  
  
"You have to believe in him, Akari-chan. He will come back to  
you."  
  
Akari just continued to sob lightly into Nodoka's kimono.  
[Ryoga, you better come back to me...]  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma blocked Kenji's wakizashu on his bracer and, with  
chestnut fist speed, knocked the it loose. He then pummeled Kenji enough  
to stun him, and reached for the headband ruby.  
  
He screamed in pain as he touched it and the two were violently  
thrown apart. Yuri rushed to her brother's side as he rose, but a look  
form him created a strong wind blast that sent her hurtling several feet  
away into an equipment rack.  
  
[Chikuso!] Ranma thought. [I can't touch it! So now what?] He  
looked down, spotted Kenji's discarded blade, and took a deep breath. [I  
guess it's the only way. I gotta time this right.]  
  
Kenji staggered to his feet and launched himself at Ranma who  
threw himself to the ground and grabbed the weapon. Trusting his  
instincts, he rolled and came to his feet, slashing upward with the  
blade. For a second, the two stood frozen.  
  
Then, a tiny trickle of blood flowed down Kenji's forehead and  
face as the headband broke and dropped to the ground. Ranma dropped the  
wakizashu and caught Kenji as he fell. He ripped off a piece of his  
shirt sleeve and used it to dab on Kenji's head wound. He noted it  
wasn't serious and only a minor cut, so he gently set the boy down and  
stood up.  
  
Shampoo was nearby, wrapped in chains and Mousse was  
confronting Zhao Len. Nothing he did seemed to touch the old mummy as  
she moved in and thrust with her staff. Mousse went flying backward to  
collapse in a heap.  
  
He didn't get up.  
  
As Ranma prepared to face the old woman, a gigantic pillar of  
light erupted into the sky. [Ryoga must be having a hard time,] he noted  
absently as he advanced on the old woman.  
  
"So, it is down to you and me, boy," she said. "I should tell  
you I haven't lost a fight in a hundred years. So it's either marry  
Shampoo as a full man, or I'll make you less of one."  
  
Ranma grinned. "And you should know Cologne said the same thing  
before I beat her. Twice. I've also taken on Saffron of Phoenix Mountain  
and beat him. Ever hear of that?"  
  
She frowned inwardly. She HAD heard of that from Shampoo, but  
had never really believed it. Even she had heard the tales of Amazons  
that confronted the King of Phoenix Mountain and never returned. She  
knew her old master had gone to to confront Saffron when his power went  
out of control, and died trying to stop him. And her master was much  
stronger than her. If this boy had done the impossible, she was in  
trouble indeed.  
  
"Shampoo is your rightful bride by Amazon law, why do you fight  
this?"  
  
"By Amazon law, Akane defeated Shampoo and thereby claimed the  
rights to marry me," Ramna retorted.  
  
"Is this true, child?" Zhao Len asked the tied amazon.  
  
"Shampoo no know of this," she stated. "I leave right after  
great-grandmother pass away. No time for honor duel."  
  
Ranma blinked. [Shampoo really doesn't remember it! That  
means...] "You used that shiatsu shampoo technique on her didn't you.  
You made her conviently forget the duel. You dishonored Shampoo by  
making her go through with these actions."  
  
"Shut up!" the old woman yelled. "You don't know what you're  
talking about."  
  
"No one use shampoo on Shampoo, Ranma. Why you say that?"  
  
"Listen, Shampoo, there is one easy way to know for sure," he  
explained. "Have someone use the memory restoring shampoo on you. If I'm  
right, the memories she made you forget will return. If they don't, then  
I'm lying. And that's a bet I'm willing to make."  
  
For a few moments there was silence as Shampoo thought about  
this. Zhao Len's face twisted into a snarl as the younger Amazon  
requested the treatment.  
  
"No!" the elder Amazon shouted. "Don't you see, he's just trying  
to confuse you!"  
  
Shampoo's eyes narrowed. "Why Zhao Len so afraid? If he wrong,  
then nothing change." Zhao Len glared at her. Shampoo may have been  
single-minded most of the time, but she wasn't really stupid. "He no  
wrong is he? You lie to Shampoo! You disgrace Amazon pride by forgetting  
Amazon honor! You no belong on council, step down."  
  
"I will not!" she stated. "And you can't remove me either.  
You're not strong enough and only an Amazon can remove me."  
  
Shampoo grinned like a chesire cat. "If what you say is true,  
Ranma is still Shampoo's airen. That mean he Amazon and can challenge  
you as Shampoo's champion. If he not airen, then you lie."  
  
Zhao Len realized the predicament she was in. If she told the  
truth, that she manipulated Shampoo's mind to force this turn of events,  
she would be removed from her position and banished. If she continued to  
lie and say that Ranma was still Shampoo's airen, then he could  
challenge her. If he beat her, she would have to step down off the  
council.  
  
There was really only one choice she could make. "He IS your  
husband!"  
  
The young, purple-haired Amazon turned to Ranma. "Ranma, as  
powerful and honorable warrior, you have defeated Shampoo in combat. She  
now ask that you be her champion and fight Zhao Len. Will you do this?"  
  
Ranma grinned. "I accept."  
  
Shampoo turned back to Zhao Len. "I choose Ranma as champion.  
If what he say is true, he no can be Amazon since Shampoo lose to Akane.  
If what you say is true, you must now fight him. Lose, and you no on  
Joketsuzoku council. What you say to this?"  
  
"You can't do this!" she growled as Ranma took up a ready stance  
to fight her. "Fine then! I will beat this whelp and show how wrong you  
are!"  
  
With a screech, she launched herself at Ranma as two horns  
sounded in the distance.  
  
  
  
  
  
All across the battle field, the fighting slowed and stopped as  
the sound of the horns echoed throughout the forested battlefield. The  
Amazons looked at each other with confusion, then obeyed the signal to  
withdraw, collecting their wounded as they went.  
  
The horns sounded a second time as Genma watched the life or  
death battle he was fighting, end. Disbelief covered his face and  
dominated his emotions, and for a few moments he did nothing. Then he  
glanced at the weary band around him.  
  
Somehow, during the course of the fight, most of the group had  
moved to his position.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma twisted out of the way of the elder Amazon's staff  
thrust, then turned to meet her chestnut fist with his own. Zhao Len  
gave a little better than she got as she managed to slip a few punches  
through his defense. Warning bells went off in Ranma's head before he  
leapt clear, just barely managing to avoid the Hiryuu Shoten Ha the old  
woman was forming.  
  
She stepped back, malice in her eyes. [He really does know  
Amazon techniques! He can't be allowed to live outside the tribe.]  
  
Ranma took the break in action to study his opponent. [She's as  
good as Cologne, maybe even better. No, Cologne was better, she just  
held back most of the time. Still, this ghoul is fast and powerful.  
Gotta take the initiative.]  
  
Taking a deep breath, he attacked.  
  
  
  
  
  
Akane and Shampoo watched the battle with awe.  
  
Both combatants were almost a blur, their punches, kicks, and  
dodges moving at high speeds as they bounded around the open area.  
Akane's heart rose as Ranma gained the upper hand, though it didn't  
last. Zhao Len was getting in more hits and Ranma was already weakened  
from Akane's ki blast.  
  
Breaking from the latest close range exchange, the elder Amazon  
began to glow. She cackled wildy as she let loose numerous bolts of ki  
energy at Ranma.  
  
The young martial artist was hard pressed to avoid the  
withering attack. As soon as he touched down from a jump, several more  
ki tendrils sought him out, giving him only a split second to dodge.  
  
Akane rolled out of the way of an errant blast, then went to  
help Shampoo who was still wrapped in chains. A mighty tora dokiken  
punch solved that problem and the two girls got out of the way of the  
escalating grudge match.  
  
  
  
  
  
As Tofu treated the groups wounds, RanRan approached the group.  
"Sister and I blow horns of withdrawal," she explained. "All Amazons in  
battle must obey."  
  
"So that's why they retreated," Soun said. "They almost had us."  
  
"What about Ranma, Akane, Kenji and the others?" Konatsu asked.  
  
"They fine, sister is watching. All in Ranma hands now,"  
  
"Thy words be cryptic young warrioress," Kuno intoned. "Might ye  
elaborate?"  
  
"Not now, injuries first, then worry about others," she replied.  
She stepped up to assist Tofu.  
  
The group tried to ask several more questions, but RanRan would  
say no more. She also prevented them from going to assist Ranma and the  
others. They could only wait and hope their friends were alright.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma was not alright.  
  
Zhao Len continued the assualt of ki blasts, not letting up for  
a second and he was getting tired. When he had time to return his own ki  
attacks, she shot them down.  
  
Ranma grimaced as another blast struck him and sent him  
tumbling along the ground. He rolled to his feet and jumped again as the  
ground where he was standing was vaporized. [Just how much energy has  
she got? The air is thick with it. I haven't faced this much ki energy  
since...] And then he had an idea.  
  
"Alright, ya old ghoul, I've had enough of these games," Ranma  
stated.  
  
She laughed. "Games? If this is how well you do in a game, you  
wouldn't survive a real fight."  
  
Ranma dodged a few more blasts all the while working closer to  
the elder Amazon. She fired again as he got close, but Ranma dodged to  
the side and began to circle her, letting a blast of his own off every  
now and again to keep her occupied.  
  
Zhao Len grinned to herself. [The fool. Does he not think I  
know what he's doing? Well, at least I'll be able to finish this once  
and for all. I am running quite hot from all the ki energy I've  
expended, so I'll have to focus my cool ki energy as he strikes.]  
  
Ranma closed the circle and Zhao Len dropped her temperature a  
split second before he struck.  
  
"Hiryuu Shoten Ha!"  
  
Ranma thrust his arm upward in an uppercut punch and the  
dragon's whirlwind formed. However, it was not Zhao Len sucked up, but  
Ranma. She made sure to drop her ki energy as soon he attacked, thereby  
focusing the bottom of the tornado on him.  
  
Akane froze, inhaling sharply while her insides twisted in  
horror. She had already seen this happen once and she had nearly thought  
she lost him; she didn't want to see it again. She tried to get up and  
help him, but a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked up to  
see Shampoo glancing sadly at her. Akane understood. This was an honor  
battle. No one could interfere until it is over, no matter how much they  
want to.  
  
Akane closed her eyes. [Please Ranma, be okay,] she prayed.  
  
  
  
  
  
As Ranma flew upwards, he felt it happening. The dragon's  
vortex was absorbing all the ki energy that floated in the air. Ranma  
concentrated his own ki energy and funneled it from the tornado to  
himself. Look downward, he spotted his target. Zhao Len was unmoving,  
using all her strength to avoid being sucked up inside as well.  
  
He smiled, knowing she wouldn't be able to dodge this.  
  
"Hiryuu Korin Dan!"  
  
Ranma let loose all the energy he had collected in one huge  
downward blast.  
  
Zhao Len glanced up in horror when she heard the shout. At the  
last second, she put up as much of a barrier as she could, but it was  
too little, too late. She was able to angle the ki barrier enough that  
when the blast hit, she was blown off to the side instead of straight  
down into the ground. She rolled along in the dirt and collapsed in a  
smoking heap.  
  
With the energy from the twister gone, it dissipated and Ranma  
dropped to the ground, exhausted. He hoped that blast had finished her,  
since he didn't have much left. For a few moments, she didn't move.  
  
Sensing it was over, the small group approached her.  
  
From the ground, Zhao Len quickly regained conciousness, though  
her strength was still lacking. [That boy! He manipulated the dragon's  
whirlwind in a manner not possible. How?] She gritted her teeth. [He is  
good, better than me and I don't have anything left.] Her eyes focused  
on the patch of ground in front of her and she grinned at what she saw:  
The headband and intact ruby from Kenji's forehead. [This will have to  
do as a consolation prize.] She quickly hid it in her robes, than slowly  
regained her feet to look at those surrounding her.  
  
"It over, Zhao Len," Shampoo stated. "You defeated in a fair  
honor duel. Step down."  
  
Zhao Len grimaced. [I have no choice, but I will have my  
revenge at another time.] "Very well, I admit defeat. You are better  
than I thought, Ranma. It's a pity we won't be able to add your  
bloodline to the noble Joketsuzoku."  
  
Shampoo shook her head, fighting to hold back her tears. She  
turned to face the Amazon warriors that had gathered in the past few  
minutes. "Hear me gathered warriors, for I am Shan Pu of the  
Joketsuzoku, chosen heir of Khu Lon. Zhao Len has been removed from the  
council by right of combat. We now return to China and leave these  
people in peace. They have proven to be good warriors who have no  
quarrel with us."  
  
Next she turned to Ranma. "Take friends and go now, Shampoo  
have much to do. Will see you later, Ranma." She winked at him and Ranma  
blinked back.  
  
Akane frowned. [I hope she really has given up on him.] She  
hooked her arm around Ranma's and went to retrieve Kenji who was still  
lying unconcious, though Yuri was at his side and tending him. Ranma  
picked him up and the quartet turned to leave.  
  
As they approached the ring of Amazons, the gathered warriors  
parted, allowing them to leave. Ranma almost thought he saw looks of  
respect from several of them, though he received venomous looks from the  
ones who had witnessed his defeat of Zhao Len.  
  
Then they were leaving the camp and heading into the forest,  
only to be greeted by RanRan. She guided them out of the forest and back  
to the vans where the rest of the group was. Well, only one van was  
there and only part of the group.  
  
Tofu explained that the more injured had already left to get  
treated namely: Genma, Soun, Ryoga, Natsume, and Sasuke. Ryoga was the  
worst off; he was badly hurt and out cold. Tofu tried to do what he  
could, but he would still be out for awhile.  
  
Wearily, the remaining people boarded the last van as Tofu  
drove them out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
The last couple of weeks have been pretty quiet, ever since the  
Amazon incident. Of course, quiet meaning no major battles or conflicts;  
just the normal everyday Nerima events.  
  
First, Shampoo, Mousse, and the rest of the Amazons left again,  
but she sent him a letter a week later saying her memories had been  
restored and was honor bound to give Ranma up for good. With Shampoo  
gone, the last of Ranma's suitors are dealt with.  
  
Oh, the other big news, Ranma actually proposed and gave me a  
ring! I knew we'd probably end up married eventually, but now I have  
definite proof that we'll be husband and wife someday. My hope is that  
we'll get married at the end of the school year, which is about 6 months  
away. That way, we'd have several weeks for our honeymoon. But it's up  
to Ranma, that's what I told him. I won't try and force him; it was  
tried and failed miserably, even though it wasn't totally my idea.  
  
Ryoga was out of it for quite awhile after the Amazon battle.  
He severely depleted his ki reserves and had to spend several days  
recuperating. Akari never left his side; she sure is a devoted and  
caring girl, and I'm glad Ryoga has someone like that in his life. He  
always seemed so nice, but deep down I knew he was lonely and depressed.  
That's why I always tried to be nice to him.  
  
Kuno is dating Nabiki now. Hands up, all those who saw that  
coming? I still can't figure out if she's serious about him, or just  
stringing him along to get free meals and gifts out of him. I do hope  
it's the former, but with my sister... well, I don't want to think about  
it. Plus, Tatewaki actually seems pretty decent now. Oh, he still spouts  
poetry and laments my engagement to Ranma, but he's not nearly the  
annoyance he used to be. By the way, the Kuno mansion has been rebuilt  
(to Nabiki's specifications) and he's moved back there along with  
Sasuke. Kodachi is still in a mental health ward and it doesn't look  
good for her. Some sort of split personality problem.  
  
Oh, Dr. Tofu and Kasumi are going out regularly now. There have  
been signs that Tofu is getting ready to propose and it's almost  
guaranteed oneechan will say yes. They'll probably get married soon  
afterward and then dear, sweet Kasumi will be gone.  
  
We'll all miss her, but we are getting two new family members:  
Natsume and Kurumi!  
  
They plan to fill in the chores Kasumi used to do. They're both  
pretty good cooks and Kurumi especially is all too eager to help around  
the house. They were planning on challenging us and taking the dojo  
away, but Nabiki helped talk them into a better solution.  
  
Daddy adopted them into the family as Tendos instead, and  
they'll help run the dojo with us. This way, they gain a real family as  
well as a dojo, and we gain extra help. They'll stay in Happosai's old  
room which has been cleaned and sterilized. They didn't know exactly  
what jiji did with his spare time, but they do kinda look up to him  
since it turned out it was Happosai and not Soun who met them all those  
years ago. They're happy with it.  
  
What next? Oh yeah! Konatsu's back as well! He's dressing more  
like a guy, though still with feminine touches, and he's moved back in  
with Ukyo. With so many people staying there now, we all got together  
for a few days to expand the place and add a second floor. Costs were  
low, since we didn't need things like hammers or saws. There are  
advantages to being a martial artist! Now there's more restaurant space  
and enough rooms for five people. According to Ukyo, business is getting  
better, and I've never seen her happier!  
  
Okay, now for the more interesting stuff. During a group picnic  
at a park, a food fight got started. I don't know who, but it was  
probably Ranma's fault. No wait, I promised myself I wouldn't  
automatically blame him anymore without proof. Anyways, it was all fun  
and games until Selah got creamed by a pie and had a pot of water dumped  
on her.  
  
Ranma and I happened to be near her at the time, unfortunately.  
  
The next thing we knew, a geyser of water erupted underneath us  
and sent us flying off into the distance. I wished I could've still been  
violent enough to wipe the smirk off Ranma's face as we flew; he was  
used to this, I wasn't.  
  
Anyways, Ranma grabbed me in mid-air and tried to use his body  
as a cushion when we crashed through the roof of some building. What  
happened next was totally unexpected.  
  
When I awoke, I felt strange. When I saw my body in my arms, I  
screamed. Toshi and Miyo spent the next hour trying to calm Ranma and I  
down; well, mainly me. Ranma accepted the situation after 10 minutes.  
  
Apparently, due a magical accident, Ariko and Hikaru had  
switched bodies awhile ago and we interrupted a ceremony Toshi was doing  
to put them back in the right bodies. They turned out fine, but me and  
Ranma switched bodies. Toshi said he could put us back, but not until  
midnight. Meaning: WE were stuck like that for 8 hours. Needless to say,  
I spent most of the time in Ranma's girl form. I freaked out whenever I  
became a man, so I guess I can understand Ranma better now. Heh, the way  
I look at it, I had the great female body and he was the tomboy!  
  
Well, that's about it. Between the Kodachi episode, the  
training trip, Amazons, and body switching, it's been an interesting  
summer vacation. School starts again tomorrow, wish me luck!  
  
Akane  
  
  
  
  
  
In the still waters of the viewing pool, the caretaker and his  
lady watched the youngest Tendo close her diary and go to bed.  
  
"She is such a strong girl," the caretaker remarked. "With all  
that she has been through lately, I'm surprised she is still sane."  
  
The lady in blue smiled gently. "That's just part of the Tendo  
heritage." The smile disappeared. "No, what I'm worried about is what  
the Rogues are up to. Through their interference, the wizard sects have  
dwindled to almost nothing and unrest is formenting in the Joketsuzoku.  
They were able to use some of it to direct a group of Amazons to atttack  
Ranma and Akane."  
  
"What can we do about it?" the caretaker asked.  
  
"Unfortunately, nothing. As I said before, we can only  
concentrate on our side. Though it worries me the way they are dividing  
our strength before the battle comes."  
  
"It was clever of you, the way you managed to get those two  
orphan girls to return, as well as the male Kunoichi."  
  
The lady smiled. "I have a few ideas in progress. They haven't  
won yet."  
  
  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's notes:  
Story Arc #4 done! Whoopee!  
  
Thank you to all those that read this, and especially thanks to all you  
Ranma fanfiction writers out there!  
  
And a very, very, very, special thanks to Takahashi-Megami-sama!  
  
Up next: Minor Disturbances  
  
All CC&F (comments, criticism, and flames) can be directed here:  
oddball22@hotmail.com  
  
If you're reading this elsewhere, you can find the rest of my fanfiction  
here:  
www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000  
  
Kaiphantom (Brad in real life) 


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